


A Time to Reflect

by bookscape



Category: Time Tunnel, Zorro (TV 1957)
Genre: Christmas, Gen, Navidad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-24 07:25:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 25,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19718965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookscape/pseuds/bookscape
Summary: When Tony and Doug are transferred from a Jurassic jungle, three carnosaurs are transferred with them. Zorro must kill the vicious animals as well as save the foreign travelers from a vindictive comandante.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Tony and Doug are pulled from the Jurassic period along with several carnosaurs and land in 1821 California. Zorro is hard pressed to kill the creatures and save the two travelers from not only the dinosaurs but from a bitter and cruel comandante.

**A  
Zorro/ Time Tunnel Crossover**

__**The  
** Setting: Spanish California, 1820, near the pueblo Los Angeles. 

A top secret complex below the Arizona desert, code-named Red Lion, the home of the Time Tunnel.

**The acrid air seemed more electric, more intense, if that was possible, than it had been during the entirety of their way too long day in what they had guessed was an early Jurassic period of time. _Time!_ the traveler smirked mentally.The thoughts grew slightly bitter, then he reigned in his emotions.He had chosen to enter the tunnel; it had been his decision.Looking over at his friend, still on his feet, but panting heavily next to the stream they had just crossed, the traveler felt a slight stab of guilt that it had not been his partner’s choice.Doug had followed trying to save his sorry hide from the icy waters of the north Atlantic when the unsinkable _Titanic_ had struck an iceberg.Now Tony laughed out loud, wiping the sweat that slicked his face and ran into his eyes.What he wouldn’t give for a dip in those cold waters now.**

**Then he sighed, feeling a tingle that seemed to intensify, not in the air, but around and then in his body.A change was coming.He could feel it.Dr. Anthony Newman looked at his partner, Dr. Douglas Philips again, but Doug didn’t seem to notice anything different.Although he had shed his early twentieth-century tweed jacket and tie and had unbuttoned his shirt, Doug still looked like he had just spent the past two days in a sauna.If not for the insects, Tony would have shed his dark green turtleneck a long time ago.He was sure that he looked exactly as miserable as his friend did.**

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**Tony jerked his head up, listening.He heard something.This time it was not just a feeling of impending transfer, but something in the jungle nearby.Was it those damned carnosaurs?They had eluded them before when the beasts had come across an injured herbivore, but now it seemed that they were finished with their appetizer and were ready for the main course….them.“Doug,” he said softly.Doug didn’t answer, only stayed slumped over on the boulder he had sat on after they had forded the stream.His friend was still panting.“Doug.”Tony reached over and grabbed Doug’s shoulder.“I think our friends are on the prowl again.”** ****

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**Doug looked up wearily, his eyes showing the intensity of his fatigue and something else.Was he sick?Doug muttered something unrepeatable and then slowly getting to his feet.He wavered and Tony held on to his arm to steady him.**

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**“You okay?”Worry gripped his insides.Their last transfer had been from a place that had been equally heinous.Rome at the time of the Visigoth invasion hadn’t been particularly safe either.Doug had been slightly injured during a fight against a group of invaders, a cut along his arm.It was nothing that would have been very worrisome except for the fact that the conditions in Rome as well as here were far from clean.“Let me look at your arm.”**

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**“No, not now.I’m okay, just a bit of dizziness,” Doug responded lethargically.Tony looked at him dubiously, but Doug just shrugged him off with a comment about needing a full night’s sleep and then he looked in the direction from which they had come.He gazed at the stream, turned and looked into the forest ahead of them.**

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**“Do you think we could lose them if we continued down the stream?” Tony asked, figuring out his friend’s thoughts.**

**“I doubt it, Tony,” Doug drawled, as though even talking was a drain.He took a deep breath and then muttered.“The air is so thick that they could probably pick up our scent that way.”** ****

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**“I think the tunnel is trying for a transfer, but we can’t just wait around, hoping for Ray and Ann to pick us up before these beasts get here,” Tony said.**

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**“I know,” Doug replied, then he peered into Tony’s dark eyes.“How do you know that they’re trying to pull us out of here?”He stepped back into the warm, turgid water and began sloshing downstream.**

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**Tony followed.“Uh, I’ve been kind of feeling vibes before the last few transfers.”** ****

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**“Vibes?”** ****

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**“Well, don’t know what to call it, really, but it’s like the tingle you feel during an electric storm,” Tony tried to explain as they slogged along.His boots quickly filled with water, even though they were still in excellent condition, not much the worse for wear as when he had entered the gaping maw of the Time Tunnel.Despite their attempts to change and fit into the local times and places, the tunnel always retrieved them in their original clothing, just as it was at the time of the first transfer.He smiled softly.At times that was just as well.He didn’t think that showing up in Victorian England in a Greek toga would make a good impression on the locals. _To be or not to be….That is the question,_ Tony thought wryly.Um, wrong time frame.It was Shakespeare, but it was set in Denmark.No togas. _Et tu, Brutus? Er, sorry, madame, just rehearsing.Could you tell me where the Globe Theater is?_ He remembered how unimpressed Joshua, the son of Nun had been with their outlandish clothing.** ****

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**Tony shook his head, feeling stupid.Such inattentiveness could be deadly.He had to bring himself back to the present. _The present?_ Again that mental, derisive irony.It seemed harder and harder of late to know just what the present was.And lately, the transfers had become harder and harder physically as well as mentally, as though the rejuvenation effects on both their apparel and their bodies was harder and harder for the tunnel to maintain.What the tunnel gave them with each transfer-- exhaustion, exertion, stress and sometimes malnourishment took away.**

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**“Well, I wish Kirk would hurry up,” Doug muttered and they continued along the stream.The noise of the vicious carnosaurs was getting closer, they must be getting hungry enough to chase them all out.**

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**“I know what I want for Christmas,” Tony snapped as his foot slipped on a loose rock, threatening to spill him in the deepening waterway.** ****

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**“Christmas?What the hell brought that on?”Doug staggered and Tony put up his hand to keep his friend from stumbling back into him.** ****

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**“I don’t know.Just remember when I thought getting socks for Christmas was a fate almost as bad as getting coal,” Tony replied with a short laugh.“But now I would kill for a new set of clothes.”He paused.“And some hiking boots,” he added.**

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**“Why limit yourself, Tony?” Doug chuckled.“Why not wish for a transfer home?”** ****

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**“Too much to ask for.”They continued to trudge along.“You remember when I first went into the tunnel?”** ****

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**“Yeah,” Doug panted from ahead.** ****

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**“I wonder how long we’ve actually been away?What date is it back home?Seems like we’ve been gone at least eighteen months.It would be getting close to Christmas again, wouldn’t it?”** ****

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**“That’s a good one, considering we’ve been going forward, backwards and probably sideways for what seems like eternity,” Doug said, jerking out of the mud that seemed to have taken place of the slippery rocks.“I couldn’t begin to figure how much real time we’ve spent away from the complex.”He looked ahead.“For that matter, which time is real, anyway?At least from our standpoint.”He climbed out of the stream and began to walk along it.The sounds of screaming predators came closer.“We have to travel along the stream.I think some of that is quicksand, or something close to it.”** ****

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**Tony only nodded, wondering why he even thought of Christmas at all.Christmas was just a time when he thought of the absence of his father.It had been that way since he had lost his father in Pearl all those years ago.He had been quite young, seven, but it had been right before Christmas and despite the kindness of his aunt and uncle, the holiday had lost its appeal since that time.At least now, he knew what had really happened to his father.He had died a hero.Tony had been there when he died.His father had recognized him, even though he was all grown up.But for all those years before he and Doug had been time-transferred to Pearl Harbor on December 7 th, 1941….** ****

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**“If they are going to transfer us, I wish they’d do it soon,” Doug puffed, breaking into as much of a run as he could with all the vegetation in their way.**

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**Tony listened as they ran.The carnosaurs were getting closer.He could hear their high-pitched squeals of triumph.Soon he and Doug would be pulled down and stripped just as that dead herbivore had been.He reached up and jerked a dead branch from a nearby tree.The beasts might have their first taste of homo sapiens in a few minutes, but they would have to work for it, he thought grimly.**

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**A crashing of brush told him that they were about to have company.Then the ravenous reptiles burst upon them, the foremost creature, brown and amber striped about the size of a young steer, already leaping for his throat.Tony swung his branch and felt it connect.** ****

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**“Ray, you have to get them out of there!” Ann McGregor, her green eyes showing terror at the scene before them, cried.**

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**“For some reason, I can’t separate the carnosaurs from them!” Ray Swain, an older, balding man blurted, then he muttered under his breath.“I would have to separate all of the entities from each another.”** ****

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**“Then do it!” the military man standing next to the command console ordered.Kirk’s face was lined with the exhaustion of too many days of futile efforts to bring back the two scientists that were presently millions of years in the past.** ****

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**“General, if I did that those beasts might end up in the middle of nineteenth century New York City!”** ****

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**“If you don’t, Tony and Doug will be dead!” General Kirk retorted.“Can’t you split them all up?At least if you do that those vicious beasts won’t kill them before they complete the transfer.”** ****

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**“I’ll try to and then do a reverse retrieval on the creatures,” Swain said.He made adjustments into the computer and then gave the coordinates to Ann, who was watching closely.“Do it, Ann.”She nodded and then flipped a couple of switches.The tunnel flashed its blue and yellow pyrotechnics and the two scientists, millions of years in the past were temporarily lost from view.A high-pitched whistling and loud series of popping noises indicated that some kind of transfer had taken place.But to where . . . and when?** ****

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**Zorro rode through the dark night, smiling at his latest victory over the hapless sergeant of the guards of the pueblo of Los Angeles.Not that he enjoyed tricking poor Sergeant Garcia, but the newest comandante, Capitán Juan Luvisto had jailed young Manuel Villegro for disorderly conduct after giving him a severe lashing at the whipping post.Now the half-conscious man was slumped forward in front of him, but he was free.Sergeant Garcia had been left holding his pants up with one hand while shouting to the lancers to saddle up and chase after the escaped prisoner.Zorro had already taken care of that issue, however, having hidden the horses’ bridles where the lancers couldn’t immediately find them.They might be able to follow bareback, but without bridles for control, the less than stellar mounts would most likely run in any direction they wished.**

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**Under normal circumstances, a night or two in jail would have probably been just what young Villegro needed.The peon had definitely been disorderly, having thrown rocks through the open gate of the cuartel and shouting bawdy songs about the new comandante, but Zorro took exception to the added punishment, the dozen lashes that had not been light in their administration.Added to that was the fact that this was the Christmas season, one in which the caballero firmly believed that mercy was more in order than harshly strict penalties of the law.Not only that, but Manuel’s father had promised to pay the fine with labor and kind, and there was no finer leather worker in the pueblo than Manuel’s father.When he was sober, the young man was a hard worker, too, but of late he had been extremely disdainful of the capitán.**

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**It was no wonder, thought Zorro, since Comandante Luvisto was critical of everything around him.Only the cruel emissary, Basilio had been more scornful of the California province.It seemed that there was nothing here in Los Angeles that suited Luvisto, even the fine California wines, the comandante said, couldn’t come close to those from Spain.Even the vintage from Mexico was to be preferred to that of Los Angeles.**

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**Zorro wondered why the capitán had even come here.But he was here and if Luvisto’s disposition couldn’t be tempered, he would ruin the holiday spirit of more than one person in the pueblo.It was the near the time of the Christmas celebrations.The first of the posadas would be in four days and Zorro hoped that what had happened today would not dampen the festivities.** ****

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**The masked man held the ex-prisoner closer to his body as they rode through a rocky arroyo and Zorro shook his head at the sticky wetness that soaked through his shirt.He only hoped that Bernardo could treat these wounds before infection set in.Villegro lay in his cell all day before Zorro was able to affect a rescue.**

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**As the path became rougher, Zorro ordered Tornado to a walk.Even though there was no moonlight, and Tornado strode easily along paths that had become familiar with use, the masked man wanted to take no chances with the injured man in front of him.Manuel moaned softly and raised his hands weakly.“You are safe, Manuel,” Zorro reassured him.**

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**“Zorro?” the young man asked weakly.“I seem to remember you at the cuartel.”** ****

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**“Yes.”Zorro felt something that caused the hair on the back of his neck to rise.Something was out there.A high-pitched squall, unlike anything he had ever heard before pierced the dark night and Tornado stopped short, snorting in fear.“Easy, my friend,” Zorro murmured, but he, too, felt that slight nudging of fear that sent the adrenalin pumping through his body.The squalling was closer, and was punctuated by a hissing and scrabbling sound as something came over the rocks at the top of the arroyo toward him.**

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**“Tornado!Run!”If it was a mountain cat, he would be able to outrun it, but if he stopped to face it here in the near pitch darkness of the small canyon, there would be little he could do to save any of them.**

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**The black stallion shot forward, his hooves digging into the hard packed soil of the trail.He didn’t stop as something that smelled dank and musky flew past his shoulder.Zorro felt a claw tear through his cape and he urged Tornado to even greater speed.Soon the path led to the other end of the small canyon and they were in the open.The creature behind them made a hissing cry and Tornado didn’t need any further urging.He continued his ground-eating gallop and finally left the beast behind him.**

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**Zorro couldn’t help but wonder what this creature was; its odor reminded him of a den of snakes, but its speed was more like that of a mountain cat.Faster, actually, he corrected himself.Right now, though, he had to take care of the semi-conscious man in front of him.He sped toward the secret hiding place near his home and was soon standing in the safety of the cave that served as a stable for Tornado and safe haven for himself.Tornado stood shivering, his hide slick with sweat.Whatever the creature had been, it wasn’t like anything he had ever encountered before.Carefully, Zorro dismounted and then slowly lowered Manuel from the horse.Soft footfalls told him that his mute servant, Bernardo, was behind him.**

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**He turned and saw Bernardo motioning for him to lay Manuel in a bed of clean straw near the tiny spring next to Tornado’s stall.With the servant’s help, Zorro did so and Bernardo checked over the young man’s wounds.“I am going back out.Something attacked us on the way in and I don’t want to take the chance that it followed us here.” Bernardo motioned his concern.“I will be careful,” Zorro reassured him, “but this is an animal that seems to be at least as powerful and cunning as a mountain lion.And much less shy.”He turned and walked toward the entrance, unsheathing his sword.**

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**Bernardo followed him and tapped on his shoulder.He pointed toward Tornado, and then he made a slight sign for Zorro to wait, while he rummaged through a small trunk that held a variety of weapons and other equipment.He stood up, holding a pistol in one hand and a knife in the other.Walking back to Zorro, he thrust both weapons in the masked man’s hands.**

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**“It’s too dark, Bernardo.I wouldn’t be able to see to shoot anyway.”** ****

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**Bernardo pointed toward his ears and then made more signs.** ****

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**“You make a valid point,” Zorro murmured.“A shot directed toward a sound would definitely be more effective than a small sword thrust in the dark.”He transferred the sword to his left hand and put the pistol and knife in his sash.Then he pulled the branches and vines away from the entrance of the cave.Once he was outside, Zorro stood still, listening intently.At first he could only hear the sound of a few insects, and then he realized that there was too little of the normal night sounds.There should be more rustling of small wild creature like the mice and rabbits, frogs and night birds, but there was almost total silence.He continued listening, waiting; straining his ears.Finally, when he thought that he might have been imagining danger, Zorro heard the same high-pitched squall that he had heard before and he pulled the pistol from his sash.He heard the scrabbling of claws on rocks and gravel and turned to the sound, dropping the sword and pulling out the razor sharp knife with his left hand.A hissing sounded close, then a short noise that was like a crossing of a pig’s squeal and a dog’s bark.His eyes had adjusted to the darkness and he saw the vague outline of something that stood upright on two powerful hind legs.** ****

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**Zorro cocked the hammer and pointed the pistol toward the sound.The indistinct, shadowy creature dropped to all four and started toward him.Then the beast was lost among the darkness cast by the boulders and brush.As the noise of claws got closer and closer, Zorro squeezed the trigger.The ball exploded from the weapon just as a large body slammed him to the ground.The creature screamed in agony and Zorro stabbed it with the knife, feeling the blade slide into a body covered with rough, scaly hide.Fetid breath almost made him gag, but he pushed the animal away even as it continued trying to kill him with claws that he didn’t doubt could disembowel him.Again he stabbed it, but it seemed possessed of an almost demonic fury and didn’t seem to be effected by the weapon.He scrambled back and jerked loose the cord holding his cape around his shoulders, throwing it over the vicious beast’s head.With another sharp hiss of anger, it clawed his cape and tore it to shreds.If he could only see it better!But he couldn’t.Zorro could only stab at the noise of its presence and pray that he finally hit a vital spot.**


	2. Chapter 2

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**Even as he struck the first carnosaur with his makeshift club, Tony felt the air around them waver, sparkle.The ground became tenuous and then absent and they were swirling in a vortex of colors-- cold and whispery that told them they were on their way to some other place, time and danger. _Let it be cooler, drier, safer_. _Tony mentally laughed.Probably Antarctica, which was certainly cooler and drier.But safer?Ha!Nothing they had done or seen was safer.The Titanic, the Battle of New Orleans, Arthurian England, Jericho, communist Russia, Nazi Germany, WWI Italy, Troy, Krakatoa, the Alamo, Little Big Horn.The pictures swirled and coalesced like the air and view around him.He was falling and rolling, twirling and tumbling.His mind was alternately on fire or freezing.He closed his eyes and still he saw the vortex around him.Where would it be this time?Again he laughed.Time—a blessing and a curse.Some people would give all they possessed to see some of the sights he and Doug had seen, but right now, he would give his right arm for home.Or a week or two of tranquility even if it was away from home._**

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**Then Tony was falling to the earth, feeling the solidity of everything around him.He tried to tuck himself into a ball to roll when he hit the ground.It helped, but not enough to avoid the bruising impact against hard earth.The dust puffed as he hit the ground, making him cough and wheeze.It was drier, but Tony didn’t have time to even think about that.He came out of his roll and into a crouch to await whatever danger he might have fallen into this time.But he saw nothing.At least nothing of an immediate danger.Slowly, he rose and turned, looking for any signs of human presence.There was nothing.A harsh call from above caused him to look up.An eagle or hawk, he surmised.Again, Tony studied the area around him.There were dry hills in the distance, sagebrush and course grass near his feet.**

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**Brushing the dust from his clothes, Tony looked for Doug.Usually they landed together.Occasionally they had been spatially separated.Once they had been temporally separated, but not since that one early transfer.“Doug?” he called.No answer.“Doug!” he shouted.He called his friend’s name again, even more loudly.But the only answer was the taunting echo of his own voice.** ****

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**The ground seemed to be bathed in a muted red glow and Tony turned to see a huge red-orange sun sitting on the back of distant hills.He watched, transfixed for a moment, then he again pondered his predicament.It was already cooling and he was out in the middle of nowhere, alone and with no shelter. _Where is Doug?_ he wondered and worried.First, he needed to try and figure out some reference points.Where he was, mainly.Fairly dry, judging from the flora and the dusty soil.Rocky hills around him.Sagebrush and mesquite.Maybe Mexico or New Mexico.Perhaps southern California.Of course, he could be in Korea or Macedonia, too.Similar topographies.Similar topographies, but not similar plant life-- no mesquite in Asia, as far as he could figure.Still, he couldn’t be sure about anything until he got more information.** ****

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**Tony decided to head toward the setting sun.If he could see something from the ridge, maybe that would help him get a better idea of his location.Or maybe he would spot Doug.If there were some sort of habitation, perhaps Doug would be there already.Tony was concerned about his friend.Doug hadn’t looked well at all, despite his reassurances to the contrary.Tony was sure that some kind of bug had made it through a purging transfer recently.Determined to reach the hill before it was totally dark, Tony began trotting toward the setting sun.The dry, cool air was refreshing after that little stint in the Jurassic and he was able to make good time, getting to the crest of the hill just after the sun had fully set.He stood panting, catching his breath, gazing toward the west.In the distance was the glint of water. _The ocean.Could be California,_ he thought.His dad had taken him on a tour of southern California before that ill-fated military transfer to Hawaii.They had visited spots that appeared much like this.He gazed over the sloping meadow below and then turned in every direction, trying to spot anything that could indicate habitation or better yet, Doug.**

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**The twilight deepened and Tony spotted the twinkle of firelight to the southwest.While he realized that this was most likely wilderness of at least a hundred or more years in the past, the traveler decided that he couldn’t stay up on this ridge all night.A breeze was already kicking up and it would get colder.He had to at least keep moving.At least in this possible time frame, there were no carnosaurs.**

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**A quarter moon was already high above him and gave little light, casting shadows that distorted more than pointed out, but Tony carefully trod down the hill.Using the brightest stars to guide him, he walked toward the only sign of human habitation he had seen in this place.In the distance a coyote howled and Tony shivered.Another answered and in a different direction he heard the soft sound of an owl hooting.After walking some distance, Tony saw a burly oak in front of him and he gazed at it, pondering.Should he continue toward the firelight, or should he take refuge in the tree? _Where in the world is Doug?_ But Tony realized that the safer course was to spend the night in the tree, waiting until the light to continue his hunt.While it seemed much safer than the place from which they had come, he had already heard several predators and he remembered that once upon a time, bears, mountain lions and wolves roamed the western North American landscape.**

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**With a sigh, Tony approached the tree and studied it.One limb was a little lower than the others and he scrambled up to it.Soon he was settled in the crotch where two large limbs converged with the trunk.It was not the most comfortable bed he had ever slept in, but it was somewhat safe.Tony heard the distant howling of coyotes or wolves and tried to sleep, shifting to get more comfortable.Despite the rough bark against his back, he quickly drifted off.**

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**Doug didn’t remember falling; coming back to earth.He didn’t remember taking off his jacket or walking, walking, walking.He didn’t remember falling onto the dusty ground and he certainly didn’t remember the surreal voices asking him things in a language that wasn’t his own.He only remembered cold and hot, hot and cold and being so very tired.Deathly tired.Only vaguely did he remember someone picking him up, carrying him, laying him in a rough, hard bed.Water; someone giving him water.It was cool on his parched throat.And then he remembered nothing at all….**

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**Father Felipe looked down at the feverish stranger lying in the small room that served as an infirmary and pondered.Where in the world had he come from?The man had muttered something unintelligible, but the priest couldn’t decipher anything.The clothes were totally confusing, but he thought that the sick man might be an American or British from the look of them.If so, though, how did he get here?There had been no news of any foreigners in the area.**

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**Shaking his head, the padre cleaned the infected wound on the man’s arm as well as the long slash on his leg, then bound both wounds up.Father Felipe wondered where this stranger had been.The wound on his leg appeared fresh, in that there was still blood evidence, but it had closed without any kind of binding.Confused, the priest noticed that the trousers’ leg had not been torn, either.The cut on his arm appeared to have been made by a sword, but it had become infected.Father Felipe would dress both wounds again in the morning, praying before he went to bed for the man’s recovery.The priest sat back and gazed carefully at the visitor.A large man, perhaps even taller than Diego de la Vega, the stranger was lean.He was also fairly young, perhaps early thirties, the priest thought.His hair was short, medium brown, his skin fair.With a sigh, Father Felipe got up from the chair and gave a few instructions to Pablo, his medical assistant; then he headed toward the chapel where he lit a candle for the sick man.**

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**The creature gave a loud, hissing cry and then collapsed on top of the masked man.Zorro felt the hot blood from the several wounds soaking his shirt and running down his cheek where it had splashed during the fight.When the beast made no more moves, Zorro dropped the knife and tried to heave the body off him.He had been pinned in an awkward position, across his lower chest where he couldn’t easily use his legs or arms.Its weight was like a crushing boulder and he figured it had to be at least the weight of two normal-sized men lying across his chest.He wriggled and pushed, using his legs to try and lever himself out from under the beast.He was making some progress when, suddenly, in the dim light, Zorro saw another figure standing above him, gesturing.**

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**‘I will pull; you push,’ Bernardo motioned with his fingers, then he grabbed a back leg and pulled.**

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**With the mozo’s help, the task became easy and soon Zorro was on his feet staring at the animal.“Help me get it into the cave.I want to examine it,” he said.Soon they had it dragged in the cave.Tornado snorted and rolled his eyes in fear and the two men pulled it closer to the stairs that led up to the casa grande.Bernardo brought the spare lantern to Zorro and lit it from the one that he had been using to tend to Manuel.Zorro and Bernardo stared at the dead creature at their feet, unable to say anything in their amazement.Holding the lantern close to the head, Zorro examined it carefully, gazing at the elongated snout with numerous razor sharp teeth, slight bony crest from the front of its face to the top of its head.The neck was long, about the same length as a horse’s, but more sinewy.The torso was built for running, but the shoulders were also very powerful, the front legs muscular.Somehow Zorro didn’t think it was just from running its prey, but also from tearing flesh.The front claws were like scimitars and he felt very lucky to have been able to strike the killing blows as quickly as he did.The back legs were larger and also powerful.**

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**Bernardo tapped on his arm and Zorro pulled his gaze away from the dead creature.‘What is it?’ Bernardo gestured with one hand.** ****

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**“I have no idea,” Zorro answered softly.**

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**‘You are very fortunate,’ Bernardo added.** ****

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**Zorro nodded.“It resembles a large lizard in the conformation of its head.”He pointed to the ridge on its head.“But I haven’t seen a lizard with something like that.”Then he pointed to the front claws.“Not even a mountain cat has anything like that.”** ****

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**Bernardo gestured to the animal and then to the front of Zorro’s costume.In the flickering light of the lantern the drying blood and the black of the costume were hard to tell apart, but the mozo’s signs were easy to understand.**

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**“I was very fortunate, Bernardo,” Zorro murmured.“Those claws are as sharp as sabers.”He paused.“I cannot imagine what this thing can be.”Bending down, Zorro took off his mask to examine the creature more closely.He judged it to be able to stand about four feet high and its length, including the tail was close to six feet.A very efficient killing machine.But why hadn’t any of these things been seen before now?Something this large, powerful and quick wouldn’t have stayed unknown for all this time without there being at least a rumor of it.He hadn’t even heard of a slight whisper of such a creature among the Indians and they knew about everything that lived and grew in the region.Shaking his head, he studied the animal again.It would begin to decay within a day or so.He needed to get some kind of measurements, description and a sketch of it before it had to be disposed of.“I am going to get some writing paper and take down some notes about this thing before it has to be buried.”**

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**Diego got up and began walking toward the stone steps.A tapping noise stopped him.Turning, he saw Bernardo signing.He watched patiently until the servant was finished, then he nodded.“Yes, we will have to find a safe place for Manuel before morning.I had not forgotten,” Diego said.“I had in mind to take him to the Mission, Bernardo.There Father Felipe can take care of his wounds and Manuel will be under the protection of the Church.”Bernardo nodded, smiling.“But there is time for me to clean up, write down some notes about this creature and then take the boy to the Mission.”**

**  
**

**Bernardo signed again, ‘When you get back, I will get a carriage ready.’** ****

**  
**

**“Yes, definitely, the carriage would be easier on young Villegro,” Diego said.“I will be back in a short while.”Without waiting for a response, the caballero dashed up the steps and out of sight.**

**  
**

**Bernardo turned back toward the wounded man after another long look at the vicious creature near the foot of the stairs.Tornado echoed his mood by snorting and pawing the hard ground.** ****

**  
**

**When Diego returned, his arms were loaded with writing and drawing utensils, and he had changed into a clean costume.“How is Manuel?”** ****

**  
**

**Bernardo signed that he had finished cleaning his abused back and the young man was sleeping soundly, thanks to a sleeping draught he had given him.**

**  
**

**“Good.I will take down some notes on this creature and then we can take the boy to the Mission.Give me a hand and I can get this done more quickly.”Diego laid down his supplies, including a very large book.Bernardo looked inside the leather bound cover.It was about various creatures of the world.He looked up.Diego shrugged.“I don’t recall reading anything about such a beast, but thought I would bring this down anyway. I may have missed something.”Bernardo nodded and took the paper and pen from his master’s hands.**

**  
**

**Diego began measuring the strange beast, calling out the numbers to Bernardo.Then later, while Bernardo left to get the carriage ready, he jotted down a description before attempting to draw various features of its anatomy.He wasn’t even aware when Bernardo returned to the cave until the mozo tapped him on the shoulder.** ****

**  
**

**Bernardo indicated that the carriage was a short distance away, ready for the trip to the Mission.“Yes, I should leave now,” Diego said, putting aside the writing utensils and then putting on his cape and mask.Picking up the injured man, he called to Tornado to follow and then he ducked through the brush hiding the entrance.Bernardo and the horse followed.**

**  
**

**After Manuel had been made comfortable in the carriage, Zorro got into the driver’s seat and picked up the reins.Bernardo gestured to himself and frowned.**

**  
**

**“No, Bernardo, it would be much easier to explain that I took the de la Vega carriage.If you were along, it would be much more difficult to come up with a logical explanation for your presence,” Zorro said.“Besides, I am worried about any other creatures like this.Surely there would not be just one.”He laid a hand on Bernardo’s shoulder.“No, it’s better if you stay here.”** ****

**  
**

**Bernardo sighed lustily and nodded.Zorro shook the reins and the carriage rattled off into the darkness.A whistle and Tornado trotted along behind.It was only a few hours before dawn, but without moonlight, it would take all of that time to get to the Mission.As the mule trotted along the familiar roadway toward the pueblo, Zorro listened for strange sounds.He also listened to Tornado, trotting alongside the carriage, for any indications of anything amiss.This creature was like something out a horrible nightmare.It seemed to be fearless, vicious and deadly.Unlike most of the wild creatures around here, this beast seemed to hold no regard for man.For something like that to be on the loose near the ranchos, as well as the Mission and the pueblo was a chilling thought.If there were more, they would have to be killed or captured.** ****

**  
**

**There was nothing other than the normal sounds of the night—insects, night birds, an occasional coyote howling.They continued their slow way toward the Mission until just before dawn, when the eastern hills began to turn rosy and then golden with the rising sun, Zorro saw the brightly whitewashed walls of the Mission before him.He sighed his relief and urged the mule to a faster trot.It was then he heard the same high-pitched squalling that he had heard before the attack of the first creature.Tornado neighed his fright and then cried out a challenging scream of his own.Zorro slapped the reins against the mule’s rump, but the animal needed no further encouragement.It broke into a run toward the Mission, as though knowing that safety and sanctuary lay within the thick walls.**


	3. Chapter 3

**  
**

**Zorro stood up in his seat, as the space inside the carriage was much too restrictive.The weird sound came again from ahead of him and Tornado and the mule pranced and snorted, but to the stallion’s credit, he didn’t run away.Zorro’s hand touched something.A pistol.Bernardo had left a pistol, just in case.Zorro picked it up and jumped from the carriage.His eyes studied the pre-dawn dimness of the road ahead, and he was barely able to see the form of a lizard-like animal about the size of steer standing on its hind legs as though studying its surroundings.It was silent as well as still for only a moment and then it burst into action.Not toward him but toward the mission fields.It was soon out of sight, but Zorro could hear its cry as it found its prey.A high-pitched squeal and then the cry of a stricken calf sounded in his ears.**

**  
**

**Sitting back down in the carriage, Zorro struck the reins to the hindquarters of the nervous mule and raced toward the Mission entrance.The strange creature would be busy with its kill and Zorro could get Manuel into the Mission and Tornado and the mule to safety in the stables.Just as he pulled in front of the Mission, the great door opened and Father Felipe, his face wreathed with the bright light of a lantern, appeared.A neophyte, Pedro, stood behind his shoulder.**

**  
**

**“Zorro!” the priest cried.** ****

**  
**

**“I have a wounded man and you have a very dangerous and strange predator,” Zorro said quickly, cutting off anything else the priest might have been about to say.Father Felipe nodded, handed his lantern to Pedro, and came over to Zorro to help care for Manuel.“Father, if you and Pedro can take Manuel, I will get the horses to safety.”** ****

**  
**

**“Yes, Señor Zorro, do that quickly and then you must come in and tell me about this strange animal that dares to kill so close to habitation and can awaken those deeply asleep with the strength of its cry,” Father Felipe said, taking Manuel Villegro in his arms and carrying him into the Mission.**

**  
**

**Zorro quickly settled the animals into the stable, listening for the sound of the large lizard.After the rest of the cattle had stampeded away from the scene of the killing, there had been nothing, no sounds, no indication that anything was out of the ordinary.However, Zorro didn’t let down his guard until he had barred the heavy wooden gate of the stable behind him and he was inside the sanctuary of the Mission.He found Father Felipe in the infirmary tending to Manuel.**

**  
**

**“You have taken very good care of young Villegro, Zorro,” Father Felipe said.“I have little else to do, except make him comfortable.”He turned to the outlaw.“Did you give him a sleeping draft?”** ****

**  
**

**“Yes,” Zorro said with a slight smile.“It made it much easier to care for him as well as to bring him here.”** ****

**  
**

**The priest nodded.“Now about this creature.Several of my neophytes wanted to go out and fight it, but at this hour and as vicious and strange as it sounded, I felt it better to let the beast have its meal in peace this time.We will examine the area when there is more light.”** ****

**  
**

**“That is wise,” Zorro replied.“I was attacked by one while I was rescuing Manuel.”He paused and gazed directly into the cleric’s eyes.“I considered myself very lucky to be alive after I had examined it.”** ****

**  
**

**“Then you killed one of these beasts?”** ****

**  
**

**“Yes, with a great deal of difficulty,” Zorro said tersely.He pulled out a piece of paper where he had jotted down some of the measurements of the dead animal.Included was a quick sketch he had made.It had much less detail than his initial drawing, but it still showed the features of the giant lizard.“Here is what it looked like.And from what I saw this morning, it’s very fast, and not the least bit afraid of man.”** ****

**  
**

**Father Felipe held the paper closer to the lantern and read aloud some of Zorro’s notes.“Four and a half feet tall and almost six feet from the tip of its snout to the end of its tail.Head like a lizard with sharp canine teeth, horny crest on its head.Three large claws on each foot with a sharp and pointed dew claw on its front feet.”He looked up at Zorro.“What kind of animal is this?I have never heard of such a creature before.Where did it come from?”** ****

**  
**

**There was a slight stirring from another bed and Zorro whipped around.A voice accompanied the noise.“From the Jurassic period,” the voice said sleepily in stilted Spanish, as though it wasn’t his native language.** ****

**  
**

**“Jurassic?” Zorro and Father Felipe said together.With the lantern in his hand, the priest walked quickly to the side of another bed and sat down in a chair near the speaker, Father Felipe’s other patient.Zorro hadn’t paid attention to the other occupant of the infirmary when he came in.** ****

**  
**

**“How are you feeling?” Father Felipe asked.**

**  
**

**“Tired,” the stranger said.He looked around.Even in his illness, there was curiosity in his eyes.**

**  
**

**“You have a fever.It seems to have gone down a bit, though,” the priest told him after laying his hand on the sick man’s forehead.“You had a wound that had become infected.”The stranger sighed but said nothing.“What is your name?”** ****

**  
**

**“Doug,” he said and then seemed to realize for the first time to whom he was speaking.“You are a priest?”Father Felipe nodded.“Where am I, Father?” Doug asked.Then he began speaking to himself, as though taking inventory of his surroundings.His eyes roved around the room, but he didn’t notice Zorro standing in the shadows of the lightening room.“Spanish.The clothes.Room.Early nineteenth century.Spanish West, perhaps.”** ****

**  
**

**“My son, you are in the Mission San Gabriel.Near the pueblo.”** ****

**  
**

**The man’s brow furrowed and he closed his eyes.After a moment, Zorro began to think Doug had fallen asleep.Then the dark eyes opened again.“I am sorry.I . . . I am not trying to be rude.My name is Dr. Douglas Phillips.”** ****

**  
**

**“Doctor?” Father Felipe asked.**

**  
**

**“A scientist, not a medical doctor,” Doug answered.He continued to scan his surroundings.“Mission San Gabriel?That’s near Los Angeles, right?”** ****

**  
**

**“Yes, Doctor,” the priest answered.“You are Americano?”** ****

**  
**

**“Just Doug, please, Padre.And yes, I am an American.”** ****

**  
**

**“What did you mean by Jurassic?” Zorro interjected, thinking that this man knew something about those lizard creatures.** ****

**  
**

**Doug started, as though he was being reminded of something he had done wrong.And indeed he had done, he thought sluggishly.He had given more information in this time frame than the people were able to understand and while that seemed to have no other effect than to make their sojourns into the various time frames more difficult at times, he still didn’t like to divulge too much.**

**  
**

**Doug had learned long ago that very little that he or Tony did or tried to do seemed to alter the fabric of time.In fact, he had begun to wonder if he and his partner were actually part of that fabric; that what they did in the past was what was supposed to happen to make the timelines flow toward the conclusions that he knew in his time.There was a slight pounding behind his eyes and Doug dropped that line of thought.It was too confusing to deal with in his present condition. He was just too tired.He closed his eyes a moment and considered just staying that way; sleeping as he really wanted to do.But then he took a deep breath.He had begun this thread; he needed to give them a bit more information.Then perhaps he could sleep.Remotely, he wondered why Tony wasn’t fielding these questions.“The Jurassic is a period of time.A long time ago.Before men came along.”Even though he had a basic understanding of the Spanish language, he was still glad of the language program chip that had been inserted behind his ear by alien invaders during one of their transfers.**

**  
**

**“God created men,” Father Felipe corrected Doug with a slight frown.“He created all the creatures we know of.”** ****

**  
**

**“I really do not want to get into an argument over religion and science, Father, but we really don’t know how long the creative periods were—how long a day is for God as opposed to us.Nor do we know if there were creations that disappeared before records were kept. The creatures you were talking about came from the past.”He remembered that someone other than the priest had asked the last question, and he peered into the shadows where Zorro stood quietly.When he was finally able to make out the masked man, he gasped.“Zorro?You are real!”** ****

**  
**

**Zorro smiled and stepped forward into the light of the lantern.The sun was beginning to show outside the window and soon the lantern would be unnecessary.“I would hope so.”** ****

**  
**

**“No, you do not understand.Uh, the stories . . . you are a myth.”Doug stopped, confused.There were many things that he had thought myth or legend that had turned out to be real during this time he had spent traveling.He smiled weakly.“But I guess you are not.”** ****

**  
**

**Zorro nodded, puzzled as to where this foreigner could have heard about him.“I am no myth.Where did you hear of me?”** ****

**  
**

**Doug was about to tell of the stories he had read as a youth, the comics, the books and movies, but stopped himself.He didn’t know just how long this man had been acting as the masked seeker of justice.In fact, he couldn’t know if everything of the legends of his childhood were factual or if there was a little fact and a great deal more fiction.For all he knew this man in front of him could be an actual bandit.But if that were so, then why would the priest be so comfortable standing in the same room with the masked man.The pounding in his head precluded more investigative thought.“Someone told me about you, but I thought they had to be making it up,” he finally said.He felt so tired.Closing his eyes, Doug began to drift off to sleep, then he remembered something.He had wondered where Tony was and realized that he had not heard his friend’s voice, nor had he seen him.Could one of the creatures….?No, it was not even a thought that he could finish.“Tony!”** ****

**  
**

**“Tony?” Father Felipe asked.**

**  
**

**“My partner!” Doug said, trying to sit upright.“Where is Tony?”** ****

**  
**

**“You were discovered by my neophytes in the cornfield just before dark and brought to me,” Father Felipe said.“There was no one else with you.You appeared to have walked from the hills, but from which direction I cannot guess.”** ****

**  
**

**“But we always travel together,” Doug protested.“Are you sure?”** ****

**  
**

**The priest nodded.“Your friend would have been brought to the Mission had he been with you.”** ****

**  
**

**Doug was puzzled.After the first transfer, they had always been sent through time together.They were temporally tied together, or at least that’s what Ray had told him during one of their voice-to-voice communications.Of course, there had been slight separations.Several hundred feet to a quarter mile.Maybe Tony had been transferred someplace close.But if some of the carnosaurs had come with them, Tony could be….Again, he didn’t want to even think about the possibilities.** ****

**  
**

**“What are those creatures?” Zorro asked.“You seem to know about them.”** ****

**  
**

**“They are a species of dinosaur,” Doug said cautiously, not wanting to say more than he had to.Dinosaur bones and fossils had been found, but the science of paleontology had not really begun until later.“Dinosaur means….”** ****

**  
**

**“Terrible or fierce lizard,” Father Felipe answered.“It is Greek.I am familiar with Greek,” he added with a wry smile.“Although to your credit, many of my fellow Franciscans are not.”** ****

**  
**

**“Yes,” Doug replied, still feeling slightly foolish.**

**  
**

**Zorro was startled.He had concluded that these animals were somehow related to lizards, but had no idea of the correctness of his conclusion.And terrible was an apt description.“How did they get here?” he asked.He noticed Doug’s reticence to answer and wondered what other secrets this man held besides his knowledge of a strange and dangerous creature.**

**  
**

**“Too complicated,” Doug said tiredly.“But Tony….”** ****

**  
**

**“Now that it’s light, I will look for your friend,” Zorro said, but there were other things he needed to know and if this man, ill though he was, could supply the answers, he had to ask.“Do you know how many of these creatures there are?” he asked.“How did they get here?” he repeated.Doug looked reticent, unable or unwilling to divulge anything.**

**  
**

**“I think that if there is danger to the people here, we need to know all we can in order to protect them,” Father Felipe said, his voice quiet but determined.He picked up a bottle of watered down wine and poured it in a mug next to the bed stand.Then he held it to Doug’s lips and let him drink some of it.As the sick man swallowed, he added, his voice softly urgent, “Please, help us.I heard the death screams of one of the cattle less than an hour ago.I do not wish to hear screams from one of the people here.”** ****

**  
**

**Doug pushed away the mug and nodded.“I understand your fear,” he said.“I just have no idea how to tell you what you want to know.”** ****

**  
**

**“Just tell us,” Zorro coaxed, wondering what could be so difficult, so mysterious.** ****

**  
**

**Doug stared at the far wall, now bathed in early morning light.Another priest entered the room.He was younger than Father Felipe, but wore the same gray robes of a Franciscan.His eyes took in Zorro, nodded to the masked man, but then turned back to the older priest.** ****

**  
**

**“Father Felipe, it is almost time to ring the bell for the morning Mass,” the priest said.** ****

**  
**

**“Father Marcos, please lead the Mass for me.It is important that I attend to our patients,” Father Felipe said.“And please have all the worshippers come to the chapel in groups; not alone.”The priest nodded, not asking anymore, and turned and left.Father Felipe motioned Zorro to sit down in a nearby chair.Then he turned back to Doug.“Please, help us deal with these creatures.”When it came, the response was not in the least what he expected.**

**  
**

**“The carnosaurs are from the past.They got here by a tunnel through time,” Doug said softly.“Just as my friend and I came here.”He paused to let his bombshell sink in.For a moment there was total silence, broken only by the peeling of a large bell nearby.**

**  
**

**“A tunnel through time?” Zorro asked, incredulous.His mind reeled, wondering how such an impossible thing could happen.** ****

**  
**

**“Tony and I are from the future; probably about a hundred and fifty or more years in the future.”Doug motioned for more of the wine.Father Felipe handed it to him.Taking a drink, Doug gathered his chaotic thoughts, trying to explain in a way that these people could understand.He had no illusions that this Zorro, while probably very clever and astute, was no ‘superhero’ like those he had enjoyed in the comic books of his youth.He was a man, as was the priest.“It is still experimental and Tony and I have not been able to return to our place of origin.”** ****

**  
**

**“So you travel from one place to another through this tunnel?” Zorro asked.**

**  
**

**“Yes.We transfer from, not only one place to another, but one time to another,” Doug explained.“Most of the time, just Tony and I are transferred, but something must have gone wrong with the tunnel and some of the carnosaurs came with us.”He paused to take another drink.He seemed to be insatiably thirsty.“I have trouble remembering, but I think there were only a few, four, I think in real close proximity to us when we left the Jurassic time zone.”** ****

**  
**

**“I killed one.There was another outside the Mission this morning,” Zorro mused.“Which means that it could be the only one, or there might be another one or two.”** ****

**  
**

**“Could you look for Tony for me?” Doug asked, his eyes pleading.**

**  
**

**“Yes, I will go now,” Zorro said.“I have a very fast horse and will search the area where you were found and then work my way toward the hills from there.”** ****

**  
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**“Thank you,” Doug murmured, so tired now that he literally couldn’t keep his eyes open.Soon he was asleep, while the two men who had been listening to the fantastic tale gazed at each other in open wonder.**

**  
**

**“I think I had better go,” Zorro finally said.“I will come back and check on Manuel and Dr. Phillips later.If I find his friend, I will bring him here as well.”**

**  
**

**“Yes, I worry about this friend of his.And not just because of the creatures that they inadvertently brought here.We know how the comandante feels about foreigners,” Father Felipe concurred.Zorro started to turn away.“Please let me leave you with a blessing, my son.I think with all that has happened, you will need God’s help in this endeavor.”**

**  
**

**Zorro nodded and kneeled before the priest.**


	4. Chapter 4

**  
**

**Tony woke up shivering as he had off and on throughout the night.But the light of a new day shone in the east.It was time to look for Doug.The night had been filled with nightmares of past and future failures, beasts and humans who tried to kill or capture him and Doug, and the seeming infinity of their wanderings.It was time to do something constructive.If he could find Doug, figure out where they were, maybe find a safe place to hole up and rest for a few days, then things would look better.**

**  
**

**He leaned forward, massaging a spot where the rough bark of the tree had dug into his lower back, then he gingerly stood up on the wide limb.Soon the sunlight rose over the hills and struck him in the face.It felt so good feeling the warmth, the golden light.He held up one hand and felt as though it was bathed in light.He suddenly remembered a time when his father took him up to the top of the mountain above the harbor.It was shortly after they had arrived in Hawaii.He forgot the name of the place.He had forgotten a great deal of that time of his life.Except the pain of his loss….**

**  
**

**Tony had grumbled the entire way up the slope, not having wanted to get up at the unholy hour of four thirty in the morning.His father had been so adamant, though, that at times Lt. Commander Newman had carried his son up the path.While Tony had been only seven, he wasn’t a really light child.**

**  
**

**But they had arrived.It had been dark and cool; the stars twinkling overhead and lights in the harbor shining below.“Look up, Tony,” Dad had said softly as the sun rose in the east.Reluctantly, Tony had watched, first indulgently, then in growing awe as the bright sun shone in his face.He had to squint at the brilliance of the golden orb and held his hand in front of his face.In amazement, it almost appeared as though he could see his bones through the skin.He felt the sunlight pour in and through his body until he felt as though he might be able to float toward the magnificent sphere in front of him.**

**  
**

**“Tony,” his father had said.“This is life.It’s joy; it’s the past and the future.This sun shone on your mother, looked down on your ancestors.It will look on you when you are a man.It is the benevolent hand of God.”Then he grew quiet.“And when I am gone, feel this sun and remember that as this light fills your soul, so, too, will I fill your memory, your heart.I will always be there.”** ****

**  
**

**“And mom?” little Tony had asked after several moments.He had dismissed the idea of his father ever being gone.His dad would be with him forever.** ****

**  
**

**“I feel her here,” Dad had said, very softly, his voice almost a whisper.Tony could almost imagine hearing a soft voice singing the notes of a bedtime song in his ear and he continued to hold his hand in front of his face and let the sun envelope him in its comfortable warmth.Then his father broke out into a song that he had recently learned—a Hawaiian song of greeting.He had coaxed Tony to learn it, too, and the boy’s high tenor had complimented his father’s lower tenor perfectly.His father had made a big deal out of the fact that little Tony would someday be better than he was.His aunt had made him sing in the youth choir as he grew up and she had told him the same thing.He remembered practicing a special Christmas song with his dad before his world fell apart on December 7 th.There had been other songs over the years, but never again had he sung that one.**

**  
**

**Their trip to the mountain had been only five months before his father had been lost to him forever.That time of terror that had been labeled by the president as ‘ a date which will live in infamy’.Until recently, Tony hadn’t known.He had had no idea what had happened to his father.Over the years, he had thought mockingly of his father’s words, ‘the benevolent hand of God.’ _Benevolent?Ha!_ For several agonizing months little Tony had held on to the optimistic boyish hope that his dad would show up in a hospital or someplace like that.Finally, though, his aunt had taken him stateside and eventually Tony had come to the realization that his father was dead.** ****

**  
**

**Tony took in a ragged, shuddering breath and tried to shake the memories from his mind.This wasn’t the time or place.‘….I will fill your memory, your heart,’ Dad had said.“Are you here now, Dad?” Tony whispered.Slowly he lowered his hand and shut his eyes, letting the warmth bathe him.There was nothing else.No comforting presence, no assurance or hope; only the need to get down out of the tree and find his friend.Well, that was a good start, Tony thought.Get out of his pity party and find Doug.** ****

**  
**

**Tony’s stomach rumbled and he licked his dry lips.A clear stream, a hearty breakfast would be nice, too, Tony thought, but only after he had found his partner.And besides, it was dangerous for he and Doug to be separated so long.Carefully, he slid down the tree and began walking in the direction he had seen firelight the night before.The sun continued to rise and warm him.**

**  
**

**As he walked toward the west, he found a stream and paused to take a drink and to clean up.When he continued, he felt better, more confident that he would find someone, anyone who could tell him where he was or help him find Doug.He continued even as the sun rose high above him.Occasionally he thought he saw movement on the distant hills to the north or south, but whoever was there obviously didn’t see him and it was too great a distance to traverse for something so tenuous.By midday, Tony was beginning to feel exhausted.He had to find something soon.Lack of adequate sleep and food wasn’t leaving him much in the way of reserves of energy.**

**  
**

**Dragging himself up to the top of a hill, Tony was amazed to see a quaint little town, early eighteen hundreds, he thought, lying before him.It had a lively sense of purpose and he watched for only a few moments before he began to walk toward the village.What he had observed only strengthened his conclusion that this was the Spanish or Mexican West.And he felt that more specifically, it was southern California.No matter, it was still civilization.**

**  
**

**Tony continued walking down the hill and into the village, a bit disconcerted by the abject stares that followed him down the widest street.He walked into a small shop and approached the merchant.“I am looking for a doctor,” he said.** ****

**  
**

**The man looked around, as though checking to see who might be listening and then beckoned him forward.“There is a doctor just down the next street to the right, señor,” the merchant, a short, stocky, dark-haired man said quietly.“But I would suggest that when you go down the street to see Doctor Avila, you continue on out of the pueblo.”** ****

**  
**

**Tony was puzzled.“Why?”** ****

**  
**

**“Foreigners are not welcome here,” the man replied and then grabbed his broom and began sweeping.**

**  
**

**Tony recognized a brush-off when he saw it and turned to leave.But he also saw something else.The man’s eyes held fear and Tony tried to remember what he knew about the southwest during the Spanish/Mexican tenure.Not much.“What pueblo is this?"** ****

**  
**

**The man darted another look toward the door, then said tersely, “Los Angeles.”He began sweeping even harder, making the dust billow in clouds.**

**  
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**Nodding, Tony left.At the first street, which looked more like an alley, Tony turned to the right and walked between low walled adobe buildings.Not too far along this road, he saw a sign that announced the office of Dr. Avila.He knocked on the door and entered when a voice answered.The room was lit by a single window in the front and a lantern.Dr. Avila, a slight, gray-haired man, turned at his entrance and then gazed at him in amazement.Then just as quickly, he regained his composure.“What can I do for you?”** ****

**  
**

**“I was hoping I would find my friend here.He wasn’t feeling well before we got separated and I thought he might have sought out medical care,” Tony explained.**

**  
**

**Dr. Avila shook his head.“Is he a stranger like yourself?”** ****

**  
**

**“Yes, although I would think that would make no difference to a doctor,” Tony replied, feeling a bit perturbed by the seeming xenophobia here.**

**  
**

**“Of course it doesn’t matter to me,” Avila said.“But these are hard times and with the Spanish law forbidding the incursion of foreigners, I am afraid that you and your friend are not only unwelcome here, but probably in danger.”** ****

**  
**

**Tony was flabbergasted.“Why?”** ****

**  
**

**“It is just the way it is,” Avila told him.“We are a very friendly people, believe me, but our government has been betrayed by so many countries professing their friendship that all foreigners are suspect.”** ****

**  
**

**Tony hadn’t remembered that from his history, but it made a vague kind of sense.Defeats by the British, intrigues by the French, distrust of the land greedy Americans.Yes, it made perfect sense.But how was he going to find Doug?“Who might be the best person to help me find my friend?” he asked.** ****

**  
**

**The doctor chuckled.“I guess that would be Zorro, but how to locate him….”Avila shrugged.**

**  
**

**“Zorro?” Tony asked, again amazed.Zorro was fiction, wasn’t he?“You are kidding me, right?”** ****

**  
**

**“Kidding?”It was Avila’s turn to look surprised.**

**  
**

**“Joking.”** ****

**  
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**“No, of course, not.Zorro seems to have ways of knowing almost everything that goes on around the pueblo.”** ****

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**“Well, I’ll be,” Tony muttered.That something he had always believed to be fictitious was actually based on a real person was amazing to him.But like the doctor said, how did someone find this elusive Zorro?Oh, well, Doug wasn’t here and it wasn’t safe to stand around and wonder what to do next.Best to get out of town and think of the next move from the safety of the vast hills.“Thanks,” he said and turned to leave.**

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**“Vaya con Dios, my friend,” Avila said.**

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**“Thank you,” Tony said over his shoulder.He walked out the door and into the arms of two soldiers.**

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**“You are under arrest by the orders of Capitán Juan Luvisto,” a portly, ( _portly, hell, this man is huge!_ Tony thought), sergeant said.**

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**“What for?” Tony asked, although he already knew the reason.** ****

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**“You are a foreigner and are subject to arrest,” the sergeant answered.“Now come peacefully or we will be forced to use drastic means.”**

**Tony looked briefly at the two men, glanced down the alleyway and saw no other recourse than to follow them to the main street.“All right,” he said with a sigh.At the corner of the alley, another man stood, one in a much more lavish uniform, complete with braid and gold buttons.Luvisto, Tony figured.There was something in the man’s eyes; something very malevolent that didn’t bode well for the American.**

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**“Take him to the carcel,” the capitán barked.“I will decide how to interrogate him later, after he’s had a chance to rethink his desire to spy out our lands.”** ****

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**Tony was appalled.Sitting in a jail would certainly not allow him to find Doug.He had begun to worry that his friend might still be out there in the arid landscape with no water, no food and probably ill.No, he couldn’t allow himself to be locked up.Glancing surreptitiously to one side, Tony noticed a horse standing nearby, the reins looped over a hitching post.Shoving the smaller soldier aside, Tony rushed past the commander and toward the horse.The large sergeant was so taken by surprise, that he only had time to reach out with one pudgy hand, which Tony easily avoided.Jerking the reins from the post, he grabbed the saddle horn with one hand and threw himself into the saddle without even using the stirrups.He kicked the surprised horse in the sides and it galloped down the street.The bellows of the captain followed him and there were shocked cries from both sides of the street.**

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**Tony leaned forward to lessen the wind resistance, and fairly flew out of town.It was a different street than the one he had walked up when he had arrived, but as soon as he was far enough out of the pueblo, Tony turned the horse’s head toward the east.It was late enough that the sun was behind him and he kept that as a reference as he continued riding away from Los Angeles.He couldn’t help a wry smile.This was a far cry from the traffic jams of Los Angeles in his day, he thought.After he had ridden awhile, Tony slowed the horse down, noticing that it was becoming a bit lathered around the saddle blanket.He didn’t want to wear out the poor animal.It was a bit bedraggled and had the appearance of being very well used.Quickly, Tony looked behind him and was dismayed to see, in the distance, a small group of soldiers pursuing after him.And they appeared to be gaining.** ****

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**Before earnestly searching for the American’s friend, Zorro examined the area of the creature’s kill.Amazingly, most of the steer was already gone and by the looks of the prints, totally by the large lizard.Even as large as it was, how in the world could it consume so much?But then, that could be an advantage, the masked man thought.If like a snake, it ate a large meal and then was supine for an extended period of time, he would be able to more easily kill it.**

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**Ignoring the buzzards squawking their displeasure nearby, Zorro dismounted and examined the place of the kill.He saw the large claw marks of the creature where it had continued to the hills after its feast and then he scanned the horizon, looking for some other sign of the lizard.There was none, but the tracks also bore out what he surmised.The creature wasn’t on the run anymore.Mounting Tornado, Zorro followed the tracks, listening for the weird sound of the lizard while watching the trail.**

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**Occasionally the animal trod on rocky ground and he lost sight of the tracks, but it seemed to be going in one direction, so Zorro was always able to pick up the trail again.The sun rose higher and higher and still the masked man continued following the predator.What had the American called it?A carnosaur?Zorro knew that there was water in the direction he was going and he assumed that was what the animal was after, too.It was a stream that issued from an opening in the rock and spilled into a clear pond.As he got closer and closer to the area, Zorro became more wary.He pulled out his pistol, making sure it was cocked.His long, sharp knife, the one that he had used to kill the last such creature, was loose in its scabbard.Tornado’s nostrils flared and he slowed.**

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**He was right, Zorro thought.This was where the carnosaur was holed up, digesting its great meal.Halting, the masked man dismounted, ground tying the stallion.With almost discernable steps, he continued up the hill.The musty smell of the creature became evident and Zorro crept forward even more cautiously.At the crest of the hill leading down to the pond, he spotted the carnosaur napping just under the overhang of the rock from which the stream flowed.It appeared asleep, but he couldn’t get a clear shot of it the way it was laying.Zorro stepped forward—closer and closer, and still the animal slept.Closer and the brownish hide quivered and the carnosaur wheezed in half sleep.Another step and it snorted, bringing its head up in complete wakefulness.Its yellow eyes stared unblinkingly at Zorro for a moment and then with a squeal of anger, it lumbered to its feet.**

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**Zorro took aim as the animal drew itself up. Then as it gathered itself to spring at him, Zorro fired.The shot tore through the carnosaur’s chest and it hissed and then squalled its anger and pain.It leaped forward and Zorro crouched with the knife in his hand, wondering if he would have as good luck as he had the night before.At least this time he was able to see death bearing down on him….** ****

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**“How many did you send back, Ray?” Kirk asked, his voice tight with tension.**

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**“One, I believe.I couldn’t send any more.The tunnel’s been stretched to its limit,” the scientist explained, his voice displaying exasperation.“There was also too much chance of the carnosaurs ending up someplace other than their home.”**

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**“But they are out of place where they are,” Kirk argued.**

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**“I realize that, but at least in the arid climate the remaining creatures are in, they will have a much harder time of it.From what little we’ve been able to pick up, one of them has already been killed.”Ray Swain took a deep breath.“And we have to keep what tenuous links we have on Tony and Doug.”** ****

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**Kirk nodded.“How many got through, then,” the general asked, his anxiety in check now.**

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**“Three,” Ann answered, her green eyes showing the intensity of her concern.“That means there are still two out there.”No one needed to explain the implications of her last statement.**


	5. Chapter 5

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**Zorro was amazed at the resiliency of the creature ahead of him, but wasn’t surprised.He knew his aim had been true; that the ball had gone through the lungs and most likely damaged the heart, but there was still enough life in the animal to cause death to himself.It was in a death frenzy of sorts, determined to reach its tormenter before it died.Zorro had seen it in other animals, but not with the same kid of ferocity as in these carnosaurs.This was when he hoped that Doug Phillip’s story, outlandish as it was, was indeed true.Otherwise, the idea that there might be legions of these things breeding in the hills was appalling.**

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**It didn’t stop at the sight of Zorro’s knife.Indeed, it totally ignored the weapon, charging down on him as though he was some kind of enraged bull enticed by the prickings of the picador’s lance.And as a matador did when the bull was upon him, Zorro leaped nimbly aside at the carnosaur’s approach, jabbing it as it rushed by.With another enraged cry, the creature quickly skidded to a halt and pivoted around.Just as quickly, Zorro dashed to a place that would give him best advantage and waited for the carnosaur’s next charge.**

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**It seemed to be slower this time, but there was still life in the eyes.Blood streamed from the wound in its side and trickled from its nose and mouth.It was only a matter of time, but Zorro must still be ready, be alert to whatever this beast could do in the moments it had left.It was still very, very dangerous.The carnosaur charged, emitting a squalling roar that echoed loudly in the cul de sac.Again, Zorro leapt nimbly aside, having used his cape as a matador would; fooling the creature into thinking he was larger than he really was.As the carnosaur rushed by, Zorro stabbed it again, but this time he wasn’t able to hang on to the knife.It was jerked out of his hand and left quivering in the side of the creature.This time it seemed to feel the foreign and pain-dealing object and thrashed around at the edge of the pond, biting and clawing at the offending weapon, spraying water everywhere.**

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**Finally it was able to snap the handle off, leaving the blade deep in its flesh and that, too, seemed to enrage it.It jerked around, still biting at its side and Zorro was temporarily ignored.The outlaw backed away, letting time deal with the dying animal.It continued to thrash about near the edge of the pond, sending water spraying through the air.The pond itself became tinged with pink as the carnosaur continued to fight its own death, lifeblood flowing from its horrible wounds.**

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**Suddenly it stopped, took a great shuddering breath and looked around, the lidless yellow eyes gazing around.It spotted the man in black and squealed, bringing its purpose back to killing its tormenter.This time it charged erratically, tottering a bit as it waded out of the water.Zorro decided that the end was near and retreated behind a stand of rocks, climbing up to the top, out of reach of the giant lizard.The animal gazed up at him, the eyes baleful, then it coughed and hissed, staggering.It turned toward the pond, but before reaching the water, collapsed onto the ground, its hissing ragged.Finally, there was one last shuddering breath and then it was still.**

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**Zorro waited a short while and then approached the carnosaur.There was no movement when he approached and he was assured that it was dead.He judged the animal to be a little larger than the other one, but whether smaller or larger, Zorro hoped that this was the last.What had Señor Doctor Phillips said?There had been four that attacked when this tunnel had carried them from the land of these beasts to this time and place.So there could be two more.It was imperative that they be found and destroyed before they actually killed someone.He needed to warn Sgt. Garcia, as well.Of course, that would take a bit of doing—to somehow convince the poor sergeant of the guard that such animals existed and that the danger was very real.Personally, Zorro wouldn’t blame him for not believing such a story.He wouldn’t believe a tale about giant lizards, either, if he hadn’t seen the animals with his own eyes.**

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**Zorro walked back to where he had left Tornado and found the stallion waiting impatiently, pawing the hard ground, snorting.The horse whinnied when he saw his master and Zorro smiled, reaching a gloved hand toward the black stallion’s neck.Tornado shied back and Zorro realized why.There was blood on his gloves--the lizard’s blood.Zorro pulled off his gauntlets and then stroked the stallion.Tornado snorted and rubbed his chest with a soft, velvety nose.Laughing, Zorro pulled the gauntlets back on and mounted.The stallion picked up on his mood and whinnied softly, shaking his head impatiently.** ****

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**“Yes, my friend, it is time to look for that other American.With at least another of those beasts running loose, we need to find him and get him to safety.”What was left unsaid was the fact that if Doug Phillips’ friend showed up in the pueblo, he would be subject to the comandante’s mercy.Luvisto’s hatred of all foreigners was well known, exceeding even the strict bounds of Spanish law.** ****

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**Zorro guided the stallion up the path, ordering him to wait just within sight of the dead carnosaur. Tornado was nervous, but did his master’s bidding.Dismounting, Zorro pulled out a rope from a saddlebag and tied it to the saddle, tying the other end to one leg of the dead creature.He couldn’t leave it rotting in the pond.Water was precious in this area and even one polluted stream or pond could mean disaster to a landowner.Again, Tornado showed his displeasure by snorting, but when Zorro mounted and ordered him to pull the giant lizard, he did so, straining against the rope.Slowly they were able to drag the animal down the path to a point where the rotting flesh wouldn’t foul the stream.Most likely the scavengers would take care of the carcass, but you could never be too sure with something as strange as this.**

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**They had soon traversed the rest of the path down from the spring and were galloping toward the area where Zorro had assumed the other traveler might have . . . what? Arrived?How would one arrive through time?Shaking his head, the masked man simply could not comprehend such a scene and finally decided to cast about between the Mission and the pueblo.**

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**Tony kicked the horse to greater effort, but he knew that it was only a matter of time before this horse, which had not appeared to be a really sturdy animal anyway, was totally spent.There had to be someplace where he could hide.This area was filled with arroyos, rocky hills, small canyons.To his left, Tony saw something that looked promising.If he could reach the area before the soldiers pursuing him, maybe he could let the poor horse go and hide in some cave or crevice that the horsemen behind him couldn’t follow him into.He had to take a chance.He had become sick of being imprisoned.It was bad enough that he was a prisoner in time, but that he was spending so much of that ‘time’ locked in various jails, prisons and dungeons had affected him more than he would like.Pulling the reins ever so slightly, Tony felt the horse respond and head toward the rocky outcroppings.**

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**He stole a quick glance behind him and saw that the soldiers continued to gain on him.Soon they appeared to be almost in rifle range, but then Tony remembered that in this era, rifles were muzzleloaders and not as accurate as later repeating rifles.The soldiers probably were content to just let him run his horse into the ground and then capture him at their leisure.**

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**After a while, Tony looked over his shoulder again and noticed that the dust had drifted away from his pursuers.There seemed to be fewer of them and they had slowed up.Where were the others, or had he imagined that there were more?Why were they slowing?Were their horses as spent as his was?Tony was confused, but he was still resolved to not be captured.Ahead of him lay a network of large boulders, strewn up the side of the hill, laced with small trees, brush and places where only a person on foot could traverse.It was a perfect place to get lost in and then sneak away later.**

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**Urging the wheezing horse on toward the rocky hillside, Tony prepared to leap from it as they got closer.Then he saw the reason for the soldiers in the posse seeming to be fewer and why they had slowed down.Ahead of him on a trail that paralleled the one he was riding toward, came the commander and one of his men.In despair, Tony realized that they knew this area and he didn’t.They knew that there was another route, a shortcut, and they had taken it.** ****

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**Tony had no recourse but to continue his race for the rocks and hope that he could at least find a place to make his stand.Bending low over the winded horse’s neck, Tony coaxed it on with his voice.The horse was slick with sweat and its strides were getting slower.Suddenly Tony heard a sharp crack in the air above him and almost simultaneously, he felt a sharp, fiery pain across his back.His horse stopped short in fear and surprise.Tony looked to the side and saw that the comandante had a long bullwhip.In horror, and before he could do anything other than be aware of it, Tony saw the end of the whip rise, snakelike and then fall, wrapping itself around his neck.Then he felt himself jerked from the saddle and he fell hard against the ground.The wind was knocked out of his body and Tony gasped for breath.The whip/noose jerked him prone on the ground where he choked in the dust, and then the whip loosened.With that little respite, Tony sucked in a deep breath and pulled the leather away from his neck.Still gasping, he staggered to his feet just in time to hear a squalling, high pitched hunting cry and for a moment he stood stock-still in horror.It was the same hunting cry he had heard back in the Jurassic.It was the call of a carnosaur. _But here?In California?Had the creatures been transported here with him and Doug?_ He looked up and saw one of the flesh-eating dinosaurs standing on a boulder, its small eyes darting between him and the soldier.It seemed to be considering its options; which one of them would be the easiest prey.**

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**Finally, the dinosaur launched itself from the rocks.It landed between him and Luvisto, hissing, then watched with cold fascination as the commander’s horse bucked and squealed in terror.It shook the rider from its back and bolted back down the path from which it had come.Luvisto got up shakily and stared in horror at the beast.The other soldiers’ horses followed the lead of the first one and bolted away in panic.One soldier fell off awkwardly and lay motionless, while others hung on to their retreating horses for dear life.Soon there was only Tony, Luvisto and the carnosaur the size of a hefty steer.It hissed again and approached the Californian, slowly at first and then more assuredly.** ****

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**Luvisto seemed to shake out of his fear and he grabbed his whip from the ground, popping it in the creature’s face.The carnosaur stopped short, squealing in pain and then it roared its loud cry again.As much as Tony disliked the way the man had treated him, he could not just stand there and watch the commander be torn apart by something that was here because of him.“Get out of the way!Drop down!” he shouted.The unconscious soldier had a pistol strapped to his waist.Tony rushed toward him, hoping the gun was ready to fire.It should be; this was a soldier after all.The unconscious man was only twenty feet away, but the distance seemed miles as he ran.Just as he grabbed the pistol, Tony heard the squalling of the carnosaur almost in his ears.Raising the pistol even as he was pivoting toward it, he took quick aim.The reptile had seen his motion and was now charging him. _The chest.Lungs.Aim for the chest!_ Tony held his hand steady, pulled back the hammer and then squeezed the trigger.The pistol fired with a roar and the ball hit the carnosaur in the chest.It stopped, staggered and then screamed in anger and pain.It charged again and Tony leaped to the side, feeling the rough-skinned body pass so close that he could have reached out and touched it had he been so inclined.**

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**Now Tony ran toward the commander, having seen something resembling a picador’s lance lying between the two men.If he could just reach it in time.He heard the sharp report of another pistol and then the squealing of the carnosaur again.Something slammed him to the ground just a few feet away from the lance and then he felt sharp, horrible, debilitating pain running up and down his leg.Despite the pain, Tony rolled over and saw the carnosaur standing above him, the claws pawing the air.It cried out again, this time it seemed an angry scream and then the eyes stared down at him, cold-- viciously cold.**

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**Tony scrambled backward, until he felt the lance, but before he could do more than drag the weapon toward his body, it was knocked out of his hand by the carnosaur.Blood streamed from the two pistol shot wounds, but the creature seemed to be ignoring them, only intent on destroying his tormenters.It squalled angrily and lunged toward Tony, the innumerable, sharp teeth ready to close on him.The only thought that he could hear rattling in his brain was that now he would find that rest he had been longing for.He felt the heat of its breath, along with the waves of pain that matched the beating of his heart.Tony waited for the inevitable.** ****

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**Then the ground vibrated beneath his back and a horseman galloped close by.The carnosaur screamed a challenge, placing one forepaw on Tony’s chest to pin him while shifting its attention to this additional annoyance.Tony wondered if Luvisto had gotten to his horse, but there didn’t seem to have been enough time.Then he saw the horse flash by again and Tony saw that this was someone else, someone who hadn’t been here before.The horse was large and coal black and the rider was wreathed in black, including what seemed an enormous black cape.Like a professional picador, the man and his horse danced in and out, pricking the dinosaur with what appeared to be a toothpick of a sword, jumping away when the carnosaur snapped at them.**

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**But what could he do with a sword? Tony thought despairingly.Then he remembered the doctor’s words—something about Zorro. _Zorro?_ He wasn’t joking.This was Zorro!How in the….** ****

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**“Tony!” Zorro called out.** ****

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**Tony’s mind reeled, wondering remotely how this man in black, no matter what the American’s boyhood books had said about this Spanish American hero, could know his name.** ****

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**“Tony, can you reach the lance?” Zorro called again as he and his horse danced in and tormented the creature again.“The lance to your left.About three feet.”Again, Zorro danced in, pricked the carnosaur again, but this time the creature had had enough.He lifted the foot that had been pinning Tony painfully to the ground and reached out with both forelegs to slash at Zorro’s horse that had nimbly danced back out of the way.The dinosaur took several steps away from him trying to reach his more capable tormentor.The black horse reared just out of reach and Tony scrabbled in the dust for the lance.Sweat rolled into his eyes, making him blink, but finally his fingers touched the wooden shaft, then curled around it.Despite the pain, he pulled himself to a sitting position and then staggered to his feet, using the lance as balance.**

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**Zorro grinned his approval and then called out again, “Just throw it at me.I’ll catch it.”**

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**His horse danced to one side and Tony threw the lance with the little bit of strength he could muster.He fell heavily to the earth again, knocked down by the carnosaur’s tail and he saw the air around him darken and dance out in and out of focus.The dinosaur had moved another step from him, but that was small consolation to the American.He couldn’t have gotten up again.The pain radiated through his whole body.He knew that he was losing blood, but he couldn’t even reach down to close the wound with his hand. As figures, light and motion came back into focus, he saw Zorro stab the predator in the throat and then stab him in the upper chest.The carnosaur squealed in its pain and anger and then snapped the pole in two.It seemed to be finally feeling the affects of its wounds.It staggered toward him and then toward Zorro and his horse.**

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**“Move aside, Zorro!” another voice called out and Tony saw the stallion back away.A pistol shot sounded painfully close and the echoes of the blast continued to reverberate back and forth among the rocks of the narrow valley for what seemed forever.The shot had been true and to the head.The carnosaur wavered and then staggered again and finally collapsed, just inches from where Tony lay.**

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**Tony felt the ground shake with the impact.Zorro was instantly off his horse and by his side, at the same time, jerking off a sash that encircled his waist.“You are bleeding badly.”** ****

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**“How . . . how did you know my name?” Tony asked shakily and then felt inane at such a question.** ****

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**“We have a mutual friend,” Zorro said with a grim smile as he tore the material into two lengths.**

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**Tony gasped as the masked man drew the cloth around his upper thigh and then tied it tight.“Doug,” he finally breathed.**

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**Zorro nodded, but didn’t say anything, only continued working on the wounded man.**

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**“Is Doug all right?” Tony asked, his voice barely above a whisper.** ****

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**Again, Zorro nodded.“I believe he will be all right.”Then he smiled.“He was worried about you.”** ****

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**“I should arrest you, Señor Zorro,” came the voice beyond Tony’s line of vision before he could respond to Zorro’s answer.** ****

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**“Perhaps after we tend to this man’s wounds,” Zorro replied tersely.But there was a hint of a smile on his face.“Capitán, could you render the loan of your banda for this man, foreign though he is?”** ****

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**Luvisto’s face swam into Tony’s wavering vision and he saw the commander nod.When Zorro tied the next piece of material around his leg, Tony was unable to restrain himself.He moaned in pain.**

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**“You have bled a great deal, my friend, but it seems that the beast did not pierce any large blood vessels,” Zorro said as he continued wrapping Tony’s leg.His work was quick, but efficient.“But you will soon need the attention of Dr. Avila.”Zorro looked up at Luvisto.“Will you permit this American the aide that he needs, Comandante?” he asked gently.** ****

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**Tony closed his eyes briefly, unable to hold the two men in his focus.Ironically, he heard the sound of a hawk or eagle crying out in the sky, the scuffing of a hoof against hard ground, but nothing else.Then everything seemed to fade away.**


	6. Chapter 6

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**After a lengthy silence, in which Zorro could see Luvisto pondering the events of the last few minutes, he asked again.“Will you allow this man the medical attention he needs?”** ****

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**“He risked his life to save mine.A foreigner,” Luvisto finally murmured, looking at the unconscious man at his feet.“He could have escaped while the creature attacked and killed me, but he didn’t.Why?”He looked back at Zorro, his face puzzled.** ****

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**Zorro didn’t say a thing about the fact that he and Luvisto, a man who had sworn to see him hang in the plaza, were having a civilized conversation within an arm’s length of one another.But he had to know what Luvisto would do with Tony.If the American was going to end up in the carcel, then Zorro would take him now, chance a hasty and bumpy journey and leave him in the care of Father Felipe.He tried to choose his words carefully, hoping that the comandante’s heart would soften.“Simply because he couldn’t leave you to whatever this beast would have done to you,” Zorro replied softly.“It was not within him to do that, Capitán.”There was silence for a while.Luvisto seemed to be struggling within himself.**

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**“But he is an Americano.We know about them…” Luvisto argued, but it seemed to be a feeble argument.The comandante’s voice trailed off.** ****

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**“Do we?” Zorro asked softly.“Do we truly know the hearts of everyone of those whom we consider enemies?Are they so different from us?”**

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**Luvisto looked up at Zorro sharply, but didn’t say a thing for a moment.He only seemed to be studying the face of the person he had been chasing in vain for the past several months.Zorro didn’t know how long he could wait here.Finally, the comandante nodded and said tonelessly.“Perhaps they are.I don’t think I would have tried to save him.”** ****

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**There were shouts in the distance.Both Zorro and Luvisto looked around and saw Sergeant Garcia and several of the lancers hailing them from the far end of the valley.Zorro looked back at the comandante, hoping he was judging this situation correctly.“I have to go now.I appreciate your willingness to forgo my capture for a few moments.”He got up, whistled to Tornado, but then stopped.“It is the season of the Nativity,” Zorro reminded Luvisto quietly.“Please take care of him,” he added, nodding to the unconscious man.The great black horse pranced.“I will search for any more of these creatures,” he added, saluting Luvisto.The man nodded, and Zorro wheeled Tornado and galloped toward the narrow end of the valley.**

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**Soon the outlaw was out of sight and the comandante gazed back down at the injured foreigner. _The season of the Nativity.When was the last time I went to a Christmas celebration?It was with Maria Isabella.More than ten years ago._ “It is Navidad,” he murmured, feeling as though he was coming out of a fog.He looked up in annoyance as the dust from the approaching lancers swirled around him.How he hated it here!If only Maria Isabella’s father had liked him.Luvisto almost laughed aloud.Marquee Juan Diego de Callisto would have loved him like his own son had he been possessed of the money required to buy his daughter’s dowry.To buy him, Luvisto thought bitterly.His mistake had been in continuing to love Maria Isabella after he had been told not to.Somehow, Luvisto had thought that the girl had loved him, and would eventually wear her father down, but Luvisto had sorely overestimated the power of young love and of Maria Isabella’s influence with her father.Suddenly the young lieutenant had been given orders to the new world and he had been gone from Spain.Gone from everything that had meant anything to him.He had received one short letter from his “love” and then there had been nothing.She would join him in Mexico, it had said.They could live in the new world together.But after ten years there had been nothing else.No letters and certainly no Maria Isabella.** ****

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**Luvisto got up and checked the unconscious lancer.The man had a large lump on one side of his head, but there seemed to be no broken bones and there was no blood.The lancer would wake up with one very painful headache, Luvisto thought, with a sigh.He sincerely wished he had something better to work with here in Los Angeles than these bedraggled, lackluster and, in most cases, half-witted men.**

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**The foreigner moaned softly and opened his eyes.The comandante returned to him and knelt down beside him.There seemed to be more exhaustion than pain, but Luvisto didn’t doubt that there was considerable pain.It had appeared that the beast had slashed the Americano along the right thigh from the hip almost to the knee.The man was fortunate to be alive.Luvisto kneeled down beside him.**

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**“Thanks,” Tony murmured.** ****

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**“For what?” Luvisto demanded.**

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**“For helping to save me,” came the answer.**

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**Luvisto was taken aback, but before he could reply the deep voice of Sergeant Garcia interrupted.“Do you want us to pursue Zorro, mi comandante?”** ****

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**Luvisto shook his head, than gazed up at Garcia.“Isn’t the Torres rancho near here?”** ****

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**“Sí, Capitán, but the Salazar rancho is nearer,” Garcia answered.“Did you wish us to take the prisoner there?”** ****

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**“No, I want one of the lancers to go to Don Fernando and requisition a carriage so we can transport this man to the pueblo.To Dr. Avila.”Garcia looked puzzled and opened his mouth to ask a question.“Sergeant, send a lancer out now.”Garcia quickly ordered Lugo to do as the comandante had requested and then turned back to Luvisto.** ****

**  
**

**While Garcia looked visibly relieved, he still appeared as though he was ready to ask several questions.Hastily, before Garcia, in his incredible naivety, asked something Luvisto didn’t want to bother answering, he said, “I was mistaken.He is not a foreigner, just a stranger to the pueblo.”** ****

**  
**

**Garcia looked dubious, but a look from the comandante silenced him.**

**  
**

**Then the stranger smiled softly.“Mojave,” he said in a low, strained voice.**

**  
**

**Garcia’s expression changed to incredulity.“Mojave?You come from one of those ranchos?”The injured man nodded.Garcia just shook his head.** ****

**  
**

**“Sergeant, you go into the pueblo and let Dr. Avila know that he will soon have a patient.By dark, hopefully,” Luvisto said.When the sergeant nodded and remounted, the capitán turned to the next lancer.“See if you can find my horse, but do not go too far afield.If you cannot find him within an hour, return here.”That soldier nodded as well and was soon galloping away.Garcia was still watching from astride his horse.“Well, Sergeant?” Luvisto asked.**

**  
**

**“You will be alone, mi capitán.What if there is another of these beasts?” Garcia asked, his voice filled with worry.**

**  
**

**Luvisto squelched a quick pang of irritation.The sergeant was technically right, there could be more of these evil beasts.“Ride around the valley, listen and look.See if there is evidence of any more of these creatures,” he said curtly.Garcia nodded and then rode off slowly, his hand shielding his eyes against the bright afternoon sun.**

**  
**

**“If there had been anymore, I think they would have attacked together,” the foreigner said.** ****

**  
**

**“How do you know they hunt in packs?” Luvisto growled.** ****

**  
**

**“Because my friend and I were hunted down by four of them before we came here.”** ****

**  
**

**“Just who are you?And where do you come from?”Luvisto couldn’t help himself.As much as he wanted to be angry with what was going on; as much as he wanted to be angry that he was indebted to a stranger, as well as to Zorro, he couldn’t muster up more than anger at himself.And he couldn’t even understand anymore just why he was angry.Only that he was.** ****

**  
**

**“Tony Newman.And you would not believe me if I told you where I come from.”** ****

**  
**

**Luvisto frowned.“I lied for you,” he said tersely.“And you will not even give me the courtesy….”** ****

**  
**

**“No, you did not lie for me,” Tony interrupted.“I was born in California.We moved when I was very young.I just do not remember any of my . . . time here.”** ****

**  
**

**“To the United States?You have the demeanor of an Americano,” Luvisto ventured.** ****

**  
**

**“Yes.”Tony gazed at the captain.“Do you have something to drink?” he asked, after a moment’s silence.**

**  
**

**Luvisto shook his head.“My water bottle was with my horse.When Sgt. Garcia returns, he should have water.”** ****

**  
**

**Tony nodded and closed his eyes.Soon he was asleep.Not too much later, Sgt. Garcia returned, as did the lancer searching for Luvisto’s horse.A short while after that, the lancer with the carriage arrived.Luvisto rode the lancer’s horse at the head of the small entourage as the sun touched the edge of the western horizon.**

**  
**

**@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@**

**  
**

**Diego straightened his shirt collar as Bernardo stood nearby with a burgundy colored banda in his hands.“I think it would be wise to go into the pueblo and find out what is happening with our American friend.”** ****

**  
**

**Bernardo placed the banda in his master’s hand and then began signing.His facial expression helped accentuate the absurdity of what Diego had previously related to him.He couldn’t believe that Luvisto would possibly feel any compassion for anyone.** ****

**  
**

**“Bernardo, I truly believe that Tony will be properly cared for.”** ****

**  
**

**‘But you are not positive,’ Bernardo signed with a slightly smug expression.‘I think the proper care will be the carcel.’** ****

**  
**

**“Yes, you are right, I am just worried enough that I want to ride into Los Angeles and make sure,” Diego replied, tying the banda so that it hung just so over his left hip.Then he looked at his mozo and grinned.“You know me too well.Regardless, we will be back before Father returns from Santa Barbara tomorrow.”** ****

**  
**

**Bernardo nodded and then motioned Don Alejandro talking, talking, talking about the new stock from up north and how it would improve the cattle here in Los Angeles.‘I will go and make sure the horses are ready for us,’ he added.** ****

**  
**

**“Good.I will be right down.”Diego wondered about these two travelers; wondered if their outrageous tale could be believed.Señor Phillips spoke as one who believed what he was saying.But how could such a thing be?How….Then Diego just shrugged.Until these two men were in better shape to talk to him, he would not do anything but try to keep an open mind.The second traveler, Tony, worried him.The wound had been serious, he had lost much blood; the fact that he had lost consciousness so quickly was evidence to his tenuous condition.If the comandante did anything but take him to the doctor, or if he did it roughly, then the Americano wouldn’t live long enough to answer anybody’s questions.**

**  
**

**Still pondering all that he had learned in the past day, Diego stepped out of his room and down the stairs.When he walked through the back gate, he saw Bernardo with two horses.Diego noticed as well, that there were pistols in holsters, attached to the saddles.He nodded his approval and then mounted. Soon they were on their way toward the pueblo.The sun was just touching the edge of the western horizon, but Diego knew that they would be in Los Angeles before it grew too dark.He listened for the squealing/hissing challenge of the carnosaur, but heard nothing out of the ordinary.Phillips had said there were three, maybe four that might have come through.Three had been killed.The odds were in the favor of the local residents, he thought with some satisfaction.But somehow, he felt that they had been very lucky and that these creatures could wreck a great deal more havoc than they had been allowed to.** ****

**  
**

**The two men rode into the pueblo to the sounds of merchants hawking their wares and the smells of outdoor vendors cooking tortillas, tamales and other delicacies for customers’ dinners.Pinatas and paper lanterns hung from poles in front of a few stores, advertising wares for the upcoming posadas.It was comforting, but Diego had work to do.He and Bernardo rode to the mouth of the small street where the doctor lived and worked and then dismounted.They tied their horses to the hitching post and walked down the rapidly darkening street to a door over which a lantern and a sign hung.Diego knocked and at the doctor’s call, entered.**

**  
**

**“Ah, Don Diego,” Dr. Avila said with a slight smile.“It is good to see you.I hope you are not ill.”His eyes flicked to Bernardo and then gazed more intently on Diego.** ****

**  
**

**“No, no, Doctor,” Diego said affably.“I have occasionally had problems sleeping and came by for a sleeping potion.”** ****

**  
**

**Avila chuckled.“If you would keep better hours, I would not have to give you anything.”Then he shrugged.“If you can wait a while, I will get you what you need.Right now, however, I have just received a seriously injured patient.”He sighed and turned away.** ****

**  
**

**“Is there anything we can do to help you?” Diego asked, having helped the doctor in the past, mainly with periodic outbreaks of sickness.**

**  
**

**Avila seemed to be considering for a few seconds, then he nodded.“Yes, I think you can, Diego, but it will be messy.”** ****

**  
**

**It was Diego’s turn to shrug.“I have been known to get my hands dirty on occasion, despite what some people think.What is wrong with your patient?”** ****

**  
**

**“He was attacked and clawed by some kind of large creature.I have to clean the wound and then try to close it up,” Avila explained, while Bernardo helped Diego remove his chaqueta and vest.**

**  
**

**Diego felt relief.Luvisto had come through.He had brought Tony here as Diego had hoped would happen.“What would you like me to do?”** ****

**  
**

**“Mainly hold the man still.Hand me tools,” Avila said.“I am going to give him a small dose of sleeping potion, but I hesitate to give him as much as he probably needs.He is too weak for a large dose.”** ****

**  
**

**Diego nodded and rolled up his sleeves, following the doctor into his surgery.Tony, ashen faced and still, lay on a large, wooden table, his trousers’ leg and some of the makeshift bandages cut away from the wound.It looked even worse than it had back in the valley.He worried as Dr. Avila gathered tools and bandages.Bernardo motioned to Avila and then carried the materials to a smaller table near the patient.At a gesture from the doctor, Bernardo also brought several lanterns closer to the table.** ****

**  
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**  
**

**“What is he going to do to Tony?” Jerry, one of the younger scientists, asked no one in particular.He had been on the second shift, giving Dr. Swain, Gen. Kirk and Dr. Ann McGregor a much-needed break.That break had been recently cut short, though, with these newest developments.Jerry had finally called his superiors a few moments ago.“Dr. Michaels?” the younger scientist asked, turning to an older man standing behind him.**

**  
**

**The doctor, one whose expertise was in surgical procedures and internal medicine, watched intently, just as he had been for the past hour.“Tony is too weak to bring through the tunnel—even if you could guarantee you would get him here, which, of course, you can’t.If this doctor is even slightly competent, and he appears to be for his time, then Tony is better off in his care,” Michaels said, his eyes not wavering from the view showing through the tunnel.“The thing I most worry about is infection.They didn’t have the right antiseptics to clean wounds then.Didn’t have antibiotics at all and were only vaguely aware of the correlation of the causes of infection and fever.”He continued to watch, not even turning when the staccato of footsteps sounded behind him.“Good,” Michaels murmured with a nod of approval.The doctor at the other end of the tunnel was washing his hands with a lumpish bar of soap in a bucket and giving the young man helping him instructions on holding various instruments over a flame.“If I could only give him some antibiotics.”Finally, he turned and looked into the face of Kirk, Swain and MacGregor, who stared at the scene in the tunnel with varying degrees of fear.** ****

**  
**

**“Why didn’t you send for us sooner?” Kirk thundered to the young man at the controls.**

**  
**

**“Jerry did as much as he could do under the circumstances,” Michaels said soothingly.His eyes belied the calm tone of his voice.Those who had been manning the controls for the past two hours knew just how anxious everyone was, including the doctor.**

**  
**

**“We have to….” Ann began and then stopped, knowing how inane a suggestion of bringing Tony back would be.She turned to the doctor. “What can we do?”Kirk and Ray waited for the doctor’s recommendations before they began asking questions.** ****

**  
**

**“Is there any way to send out supplies and instructions?” Michaels asked.“The doctor there seems to be at least as good as can be expected, but I am afraid that with all his expertise, Tony’s wound will most likely develop serious infection.”** ****

**  
**

**“We sure as hell can try,” Ray said.“Gather what you need and get it here as fast as you can.”Michaels nodded and then gestured to a technician to whom he gave a quickly scrawled list of needed materials.Turning to Jerry, Ray asked what the trio had wanted to know since they had entered the command center and seen Tony laying on the table.Jerry gave them a quick run down and then added, “The locals have killed the three carnosaurs, but are worried about more.”** ****

**  
**

**“We should let them know that they don’t have to worry about any more,” Ann suggested.** ****

**  
**

**Nodding, Kirk agreed.Within fifteen minutes, the doctor had all the gathered materials and his instructions in a box that resembled an ammo container.Kirk added a note of his own in rough Spanish, then he carried it to the tunnel.“Get the power up.We want this in that doctor’s hands before he begins working on Tony,” he called over his shoulder.He laid the box down and then backed out of the tunnel.Almost as soon as Kirk was out of range of the tunnel’s power, a humming began, increasing in intensity until it was almost painful to the ears.Then with a crash of sound and several puffs of smoke from within the power grids of the tunnel, the box disappeared.**


	7. Chapter 7

**  
**

**Diego followed the doctor’s example and washed his hands, wiping them dry on a clean cloth.While he didn’t expect to do the same work as the doctor, he respected Dr. Avila’s desire to keep things as clean as he could.When he had asked before, the physician could only explain that there was a connection between cleanliness and his patients’ cure rates, even if he didn’t know exactly what that connection was.Tony moaned softly and then slowly woke up, blinking up at him.“Who?Where . . . am I?” he asked groggily.** ****

**  
**

**“You are in the pueblo de Los Angeles, señor,” Diego answered.“In the doctor’s office.And I am Diego de la Vega.I am helping Doctor Avila.”**

**  
**

**Tony furrowed his brow as though trying to think of something, but then he moaned softly, pain etched on his face.“Did you bring me here?” he finally asked.** ****

**  
**

**“No, Capitán Luvisto evidently brought you.”** ****

**  
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**“He seemed angry about something.I think,” said Tony, turning his head and watching the doctor at a side table.**

**  
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**Diego was surprised at how much the injured man seemed to have picked up, even with his tenuous hold on lucidity.“I believe you are right.”** ****

**  
**

**“And he covered for me,” Tony added, looking back at Diego.**

**  
**

**“Covered for you?”** ****

**  
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**“He told his sergeant that he had been mistaken about me.”Tony moved a bit on the hard table, trying to get comfortable.“About me being a foreigner,” Tony added when Diego looked puzzled.** ****

**  
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**Diego’s jaw almost dropped.Tony’s actions and Zorro’s words had a greater effect on the comandante than he could have dreamed.Or maybe it was only the American’s actions, but no matter.Tony was here, getting the best care he could.** ****

**  
**

**“But technically, he is right.I was born in California.”Tony closed his eyes again and Diego thought he might have slipped back into sleep.“Edwards,” he murmured.**

**  
**

**Diego wondered what or who this Edwards was.Another English name, but then, Tony’s friend had claimed that they were from the future, so who would know?Suddenly, Diego felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck and there was a soft pop at one side of the room.With a swift motion, he turned toward the sound and saw a metal box suddenly appear in one corner of the room.A quick glance told him that Dr. Avila had seen the same thing.Bernardo clutched his arm and then crossed himself.Diego was tempted to do the same thing.Instead, “By the Santos!”Then he strode across the room and crouched down next to the strange box, not quite able to touch it.**

**  
**

**“What is it?” Dr. Avila said from behind his shoulder.**

**  
**

**“From the tunnel,” Tony said.He grunted in pain as he propped himself up on one elbow.**

**  
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**Diego knew what Tony was talking about, or at least had a bit of idea, but he couldn’t reveal that.“Tunnel?”** ****

**  
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**“Uh, the people who sent me here,” Tony said, as though thinking as fast as he could.“I imagine it’s medical supplies.”** ****

**  
**

**Avila frowned at the box and then looked at the man on the table.“Señor, I have ample medical supplies.And you need to lie down.Your wounds are not bound and you will start bleeding again.”** ****

**  
**

**“Do you have medicines to prevent infections?” Tony asked pointedly before lying down with a soft groan.** ****

**  
**

**Diego touched the box and then pulled it toward him.There were strange latches, but he could see how they worked and he opened the box.Inside were small bottles with tiny round objects inside.There were also other bottles, large and small, with liquid in them.On the outside of each were wrapped small pieces of paper.He pulled one off a smaller bottle and read it.The Spanish was readable, but obviously written by one whose first language was not Spanish.He glanced at the doctor.“It says that these are to be taken twice a day.They are some kind of medicine to prevent infection.”**

**  
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**Dr. Avila took the bottle and peered at it, then shook it.He handed it back to Diego and reached for the other bottles, reading the notes attached to each one.Taking a deep breath, he turned to Tony.“You are familiar with these?” he asked.** ****

**  
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**Tony nodded.“From what Señor de la Vega said, the pills are for after you are finished taking care of my wound.”He grimaced.“Which hurts like hell, by the way.”He paused a moment before continuing.“The other is used to wash the wound and probably another one is an anesthetic to use before you begin.There may be other things.”**

**  
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**“You mean this,” Diego asked, holding up a syringe in a tiny bottle.**

**  
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**Tony nodded. “Yes, I guess so.”** ****

**  
**

**Dr. Avila examined it.“Is this like a sleeping potion?”** ****

**  
**

**Tony looked as though he was ready to drift back into unconsciousness, but he blinked and nodded.“Or it is just local anesthetic.For the leg,” he added quickly.**

**  
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**Dr. Avila looked at the syringe and then at Tony.“Where do you come from that you have such things for doctors to use?And why don’t those doctors share their knowledge with other doctors like myself?”He seemed dubious at all that was happening.“I need to take care of you, uh….”Then he stopped and thought a moment.“This is the second time we have talked to one another but I still have not asked your name.”**

**  
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**“Tony Newman,” came the answer.“And it’s hard to explain.”** ****

**  
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**Indeed, Diego thought, wondering how this traveler was going to enlighten the doctor.**

**  
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**Even in his wavering consciousness, Tony understood his dilemma as well, but considering that he had no choice, he began to give details. “The tunnel the box came through . . .same one I came through is . . . is a tunnel through . . . time.”** ****

**  
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**“What?”Avila’s eyes bulged in their disbelief.** ****

**  
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**“You have to believe me.It’s true.I am from the future.”And with that Tony sighed and lapsed back into sleep.**

**  
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**“That is outrageous!” Dr. Avila burst out.Bernardo stood close by Diego and looked questioningly at his master.**

**  
**

**Diego nodded.“I saw that box materialize from thin air, Doctor.I do not really believe in fairy tale magic, so I can only believe that he is telling the truth, as strange and fantastic as it is.Señor Newman is too ill to think up a lie this outrageous.I think his friends sent these things to help him recover.”Dr. Avila still seemed dubious.“Look at it as a kind of grand experiment.You are a doctor.If this helps him, then perhaps these kinds of discoveries can be used on your future patients,” Diego suggested.**

**  
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**Avila looked at the man on the table.Small rivulets of blood dripped from the open wound.He nodded.“I will try it, but if this sleeping potion does not work, then Señor Newman will be in a great deal of pain when I sew the wound closed.”** ****

**  
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**Avila read the directions on each of the various bottles again and then took the three small syringes to his operating table.He administered the potions in the manner the directions prescribed and then took the larger bottle and used a small portion of the liquid to rinse his instruments.The rest he used as he cleaned out the wound.His patient didn’t wake up.When he had finished cleaning and suturing the wound, he stepped back, wiping the back of his hand across his forehead.“I need to bandage his leg and then wait until he wakes up to give him these other medicines,” Avila pronounced.**

**  
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**Diego had watched carefully during the procedure, wondering as he undoubtedly figured the doctor had, how all of this worked.But the patient had remained asleep throughout the procedure, seemingly oblivious to the meticulous work being done on his leg.**

**  
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**When Avila was finished and washing up, Diego tentatively asked, “Where did the comandante say to take Señor Newman when you had finished tending to him?”Although it appeared that Capitán Luvisto had had a sincere change of heart, one could never be sure.** ****

**  
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**“Señor Newman will stay here tonight and then he will be in the care of Father Felipe at the Mission,” Avila said quietly.He finished drying his hands and turned back to Diego. “I want to thank you, Diego, for helping me.I still do not understand everything that has happened, but it is the season of Navidad, so who knows what miracles we may see during this time of year,” he said with a slight smile.“If you and your servant can help me move Señor Newman to the bed in the other room, I will be very grateful.”** ****

**  
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**Diego nodded and then motioned to Bernardo.They soon had Tony Newman in the other room, settled with a blanket over him to keep him warm.Bernardo kept a lantern lit on a small table by the doorway.**

**  
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**“When he awakens, I will give him these other medicines,” Dr. Avila said, gazing at two other bottles when the two men had returned to the main room.“I am most interested in seeing how the pain medication does.”** ****

**  
**

**Diego nodded.“I think I will go and let Father Felipe know that he will be getting a visitor tomorrow.”He looked at the box more carefully, curious at its construction.That was when he saw another piece of paper in the bottom.“What is this?” he asked, more to himself than to anyone else in the room.Opening it up, he was astonished at the contents.‘There are no more carnosaurs in your area,’ it said.**

**  
**

**The doctor looked over his shoulder.“What is a carnosaur?”** ****

**  
**

**Diego almost told him, then realized that Don Diego wouldn’t have known that information.So he shrugged and said, “I think you will have to ask Señor Newman.However, I can surmise that the first part of the word refers to something that eats meat, as in ‘carnivorous.’Saurian is a reptile or lizard.Most curious,” he said in tone that indicated puzzlement.** ****

**  
**

**“Indeed.I have several questions for our mysterious stranger,” Avila said with a smile.“Especially since he seems to enjoy the good will of our comandante.”** ****

**  
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**“That in and of itself is a miracle,” Diego said with a laugh.He nodded and beckoned to Bernardo.“I think I will go to the Mission now,” he said and left the office.It was only later that Dr. Avila realized that Diego had forgotten the sleeping potion.**

**  
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**  
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**Tony remembered very little of the night in the doctor’s care.There were brief moments of lucidity when Dr. Avila gave him something to drink along with his medicine, asked him a few questions.Morning brought with it more awareness of his surroundings and of the soreness of his wound.He could only thank God that Kirk and the others had put together that box of supplies.Somehow, Tony wasn’t sure he wanted to test the nineteenth century painkillers.All in all, though, he felt a great deal better than he had the day before.**

**  
**

**“You are doing quite well, Señor, but I cannot keep you here much longer.I have already arranged for you to stay at the Mission San Gabriel where the priests will take excellent care of you,” Avila told him after a light breakfast.** ****

**  
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**“I appreciate all that you have done for me,” Tony replied after another drink of water.He couldn’t seem to get enough.“I wish I could repay you.”** ****

**  
**

**Avila smiled.“I will come out and see you periodically while you recover.The use of these new types of medicines will be payment enough.I would very much like to try and find out what they are so I can use them on future patients.”He smiled.“Besides, both the comandante and Diego de la Vega have promised to pay for any expenses I might have incurred.”** ****

**  
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**Tony would have to thank them, too, when he talked to them next.He wondered about Diego de la Vega.There was something he felt he should know about the man, but he just couldn’t figure out what and he drifted into a light sleep until it was time for his ride to the Mission.Since it was right after taking one of the painkillers, darvoset most likely, the way he felt, he didn’t remember much of that ride, either.** ****

**  
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**It was only later, after being settled in his bed in the Mission that he awoke to see a face he wondered if he would ever again see in this life.“Doug!!” he cried out and then tried to sit up.** ****

**  
**

**“Oh, no you don’t, my friend,” Doug said with a relieved grin.“They told me what happened.You’re very lucky to be alive.”** ****

**  
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**“I know.They tell you the tunnel sent some supplies?”**

**  
**

**“I gathered that when I saw what the priest was giving you this afternoon.Amoxicillan,” Doug replied.He sat down next to Tony’s bed with a heavy sigh.His demeanor became serious.**

**  
**

**Tony didn’t say anything, but saw that something was bothering his friend.He yawned and realized just how tired he still was.How long had it been since the fight with the carnosaur?At least a day, he figured.**

**  
**

**“This was just too close, Tony.They said I was pretty out of it when I was found.And you were almost killed.”** ****

**  
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**Tony stifled another yawn.“Those last few transfers were too close together, with too little time to rest.We were exhausted, Doug.Maybe we’ll get some rest here.”** ****

**  
**

**Doug nodded.“Well, you’ll get one of your wishes,” Doug said, brightening up a bit.**

**  
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**“What wish was that?” Tony said, blinking to stay awake.**

**“It’s Christmas.”** ****

**  
**

**“What?”** ****

**  
**

**Doug smiled softly.“Around here, they begin celebrating Navidad on December the sixteenth.Today is the fourteenth.”** ****

**  
**

**Tony didn’t say anything.He viewed the holiday season with mixed feelings. While he enjoyed the camaraderie of his friends and what was left of his family, it still depressed him.He had been riding on high adrenalin levels since finding his father during the attack on Pearl—and losing him again.‘I would know you anywhere,’ his father had said to him just before he had died in his arms.That dying ‘again’ had brought closure; the closure of knowing what had actually happened, but it had also brought its own kind of pain—that of opening up anger that had been carefully suppressed over the twenty-seven years since his father had become missing in action.Despite his fatigue and drugged condition, he tried to present an impassive expression.“Should be interesting,” he said remotely.**

**  
**

**“You still need plenty of rest,” Doug said.“Have something to drink and then relax.Father Felipe told me that there would be some stew ready for us in an hour or two.”** ****

**  
**

**Tony nodded and took the proffered mug.Soon he was sound asleep again.**

**  
**

**Doug looked at his friend in concern.He had seen the emotions flicker across Tony’s face when he had mentioned Christmas and he guessed it had a great deal to do with the trauma of losing his father just before Christmas.How would a child deal with such pain—especially when that child hadn’t even known for sure what had happened to his father?Doug sighed.**

**  
**

**“How is your friend?” Father Felipe asked from the other side of the bed.A tall young man was standing next to him, a look of intense curiosity on his face.** ****

**  
**

**Doug started.He hadn’t even seen the priest come in.Then Doug realized that he hadn’t asked Tony how he felt either.“He acted like he was feeling better, but I forgot to ask,” Doug said sheepishly.**

**  
**

**Father Felipe smiled indulgently.“His color is better than it was this morning.I am sure he is better.”For several moments, the priest just stood there.“But he seemed to have an ambivalent response to your announcement.Or did I misinterpret his reaction?”** ****

**  
**

**“No, Padre,” Doug answered and then he told him, as best he could, what had happened when Tony was a boy.**

**  
**

**“Perhaps this Navidad will bring some healing."**

**  
**

**Nodding, Doug sincerely hoped so.While Tony dealt with his pain over his loss better than many would have, he also realized that his friend’s inner injury needed to be healed just as his physical one did.**


	8. Chapter 8

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**Two days later, Tony ventured out of the Mission infirmary on crutches.The doctor, and of course, the priest had insisted that he not put any weight on the leg for another week, despite the fact that the injury was healing phenomenally well.Doug attributed it as much to regular sleep and meals as to the twentieth century medicines and the Spanish American doctor’s good skills.He had also pointed out, much to Tony’s irritation, that many Spanish doctors, almost up to the middle of the eighteen hundreds still practiced some of the medieval arts, such as bleeding, and that Tony had been very lucky to have met up with one who had more progressive ideas.Don Diego de la Vega had been there during that conversation and had agreed with Doug, although his wry smile had shown that Tony was never in any danger of that medical procedure.It was some of de la Vega’s clothes that he was wearing at the moment, the calzoneros being unbuttoned up the side of the injured leg.Tony felt downright royal in the ruffled shirt and decorated pants.** ****

**  
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**The young caballero was an enigma to Tony.There was something he felt he should know about him, but he couldn’t figure what it was.Somehow Diego had managed to convince everyone from the comandante on down that the carnosaurs were gone without detailing just why he knew that.Tony shook his head.He enjoyed de la Vega.The man was marvelously well informed for someone living in a colonial society and there was nothing pretentious about him either.And the curiosity!The man was curious about anything having to do with his and Doug’s background, asking questions that even went into the realm of the scientific theory behind the tunnel.At times Tony had been hard pressed to explain some of those theories in a way that an enlightened nineteenth century mind could understand, but always the young don had listened politely and had much of the time even shown a great deal of understanding.**

**  
**

**Diego de la Vega was at the Mission today, having arrived before the evening vespers to talk with he and Doug and to help Father Felipe prepare for the evening posada, the first of nine.This one was being held at the Mission; the last would be held at the de la Vega rancho.Tony was interested/not interested in a strange sort of way.His interest mainly revolved around simple curiosity.He had never experienced a Spanish American posada.He went into the chapel where the children were practicing a few songs and recognized that not all of them related to the Navidad.His aunt, with whom he had stayed after his father’s death, had been Catholic and Tony recognized a Latin celebration song, one that was normally sung as a response at Mass.A few of the words were different, but as the junior priest continued to practice with the children, Tony picked them up, remembering the rest pretty much as they had been sung during his childhood.**

**  
**

**As he stood in the shadow of a thick pillar, Tony began to softly sing the words he hadn’t voiced in almost twenty years.And though the translation of the words had been mostly forgotten over the years, he felt a kind of comfort in them.Tony continued to sing with the group, watching the young boys’ eyes sparkle.Whether it was anticipation of the posada or a sense of their own accomplishment, he didn’t know, although he suspected that it was the former.And the picture in his mind of all these children enjoying the days ahead with their parents touched a melancholy chord in his heart.He stopped singing and just stood watching.**

**  
**

**“You have a fine voice, Tony.You would rival Sgt. Garcia, in a different sort of way, of course,” Diego said.**

**  
**

**Tony started, not having heard the caballero approach.The man was almost catlike in his walk.Tony turned and nodded his greeting, not wanting to say anything at the moment.**

**  
**

**Diego gestured in the direction of the choir.“They sing well, too.Father Martín has worked hard with them.”** ****

**  
**

**“I would imagine their parents are proud of their accomplishments,” Tony finally said.**

**  
**

**“I would imagine that, too, except that they are all orphans,” Diego replied.He gazed intently at the traveler and though there was very little outward response, Diego had come to read people well and knew that his revelation had made an impact.He remembered what Doug had told him two days earlier.Tony was also an orphan; an orphan of war.**

**  
**

**“I had no idea….”**

**  
**

**“Yes, but Fathers Felipe and Martín have helped them to adjust and to be happy,” Diego explained.**

**  
**

**“They have no relatives?” Tony asked, realizing that while he had missed his father fiercely, he had at least had the benefit of his loving aunt and uncle during his growing up years.He had understood this fact for years on a more intellectual level, but still, it was not something that his heart had acknowledged.Now as he watched the twenty boys happily singing the songs, he felt something he had not felt for a long time.It was a feeling that all was right—contentment?** ****

**  
**

**“No, or at least no relatives that could take them in.”Diego paused a moment.“I think they are going to try that song one more time.Should we blend our voices?”** ****

**  
**

**Tony didn’t answer, but when the priest began again, he had two adult voices behind him, accompanying the boys.Judging by the looks on the boys’ faces, they were delighted.Before the song was over, Doug had joined them.He looked at Tony in astonishment.“You have talents that you’ve been hiding these past few years,” he said with a wry smile.“I know this is a religious song, but did anyone ever tell you that you sound like Frank….”** ****

**  
**

**“Yeah,” Tony said with an embarrassed grin, having heard that all through his college days.It pleased him then, and it did now, but he didn’t want to admit it.**

**Diego looked puzzled, but didn’t ask what they were talking about.“I hope you have a few Navidad songs to sing at the Posada.If not tonight, then at our hacienda on the last night,” Diego said.**

**  
**

**Tony and Doug looked at each other and then at Diego.“We never know how long we will be anywhere,” Doug said.He sounded tired all of a sudden.**

**  
**

**“Do your people have some control over this tunnel?Or are your travels completely at the whims of fate?” Diego asked pointedly and then continued before either man could answer.“It would seem that you are in a safe place where you can have rest.Why would anyone say that you would have to leave before you have recovered?”** ****

**  
**

**“There seems to be little control over where we go, but most of the time the actual transfers are initiated by the tunnel personnel,” Doug pointed out.**

**  
**

**“When the tunnel is working properly,” Tony added dryly.**

**  
**

**“Well, if your fellow scientists are listening, then perhaps they will understand that you need to rest, to enjoy what this time and place can do for you.”No one said anything for a moment.“Regardless, I would like for the two of you to spend Navidad at the de la Vega hacienda.”** ****

**  
**

**“I think I would like that, Diego,” Tony said with a smile.Doug echoed his friend’s sentiment.** ****

**  
**

**That night Tony understood just why the children were excited.He and Doug watched, fascinated as the procession made up of a pair of very young children playing the part of the Mary and Joseph, along with other children following and singing, made their way along the front of the Mission to the main door of the enramada, (an open area to the side of the chapel), where they knocked and begged for entrance.A boy of about ten years of age rejected them gruffly, telling them there was no room for them.The couple asked again, but were rebuffed once more.Then as the children turned away in pretended sorrow, the voice on the other side of the door relented, and allowed the two youngsters in.After the priest had blessed the group, the merry celebrations began.Previously, tables of food and drink had been set up, lanterns hung from tree limbs, and several huge piñatas had been hung from the limbs of a large pepper tree.There were several men with a variety of instruments, mainly guitars, violins and flutes.As the children came into the enclosure, laughter swelled and the musicians began to play a variety of songs.**

**  
**

**More guests arrived, including several soldiers from the pueblo.Diego was surprised to see Capitán Luvisto among them.He had been told that the comandante did not partake in festivities of any kind, but here he was and seemingly enjoying himself, in a reserved, shy sort of way.A local señorita was standing nearby and after what Diego took to be hesitant deliberation, the comandante approached her.Soon they were dancing with several other couples.Luvisto smiled, the first such exhibit of pleasure Diego had seen from the capitán.Diego also smiled; it was amazing what small miracles happened during the Navidad.**

**  
**

**Tony also watched Luvisto.The comandante had visited him the day before to express his thanks to the American, and with the background Diego had given him, Tony felt Luvisto was emerging from the fog of a very bitter past.It gave him something to ponder.Tony next turned his attention to Sergeant Garcia.The man ate and drank, and in between helpings he sang.Now Tony understood what Diego had meant about the sergeant’s voice.It was a deep, rich voice, a low tenor at times, bass at other times.The man would have been a good opera star.**

**  
**

**Tony ate some of the food, watched the children play and take turns trying to break open a piñata in the shape of a star.Doug was recruited to help swing the piñata.When his leg began to ache, Tony looked for a bench to rest on, but as he gingerly sat down in the dimness where the lantern light didn’t penetrate, he found that he was not alone.A soft sigh startled him.“Who’s there?” he asked.**

**  
**

**“I am sorry, Señor Newman,” a small voice said.“I can leave.”** ****

**  
**

**“No, there’s plenty of room.I just wanted to know who I am sharing the bench with,” Tony responded hastily.The voice sounded sad—and young.** ****

**  
**

**“Miguel,” the small voice said.**

**  
**

**“Miguel who?” Tony coaxed.** ****

**  
**

**“I do not know, señor,” Miguel said.**

**  
**

**Tony was astonished.How could someone not know his own name?Then it dawned on him.The boy had most likely been orphaned when he was very small and placed at the orphanage anonymously.He had heard of that in third world countries and it appalled him.“Why are you here instead of enjoying the party?” he asked, trying a different track.** ****

**  
**

**“I was feeling sad.”** ****

**  
**

**Insight borne of experience made Tony ask, “Miss your parents?”** ****

**  
**

**“I do not remember my father.I remember my mother a little bit.”There was a pause.“Yes, I miss them.”** ****

**  
**

**“I miss my parents, too, Miguel,” Tony responded.“Especially this time of year.”** ****

**  
**

**“You do?” Miguel asked, his voice astonished.“But you are grown up.”** ****

**  
**

**Tony couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, Miguel, I miss them.Even though it has been more than twenty-seven years since my father died and longer still for my mother, I miss them.”** ****

**  
**

**“Then you are an orphan, too,” came the small voice.** ****

**  
**

**“Yes, but I have learned to be happy even though I miss them.”And it was true, Tony realized.He had, and still was, learning to be happy.There was no response from Miguel.“When I am sad, I try to think of happy memories with my folks.”And Tony realized that was true, too.His most bitter moments as he had grown up had been tempered by the thoughts of the good times he had enjoyed with his parents, especially his father. It was ironic; his bitterest memories were of the loss of his mother and father, and yet his happiest memories were of them, too.“Miguel, come closer, please.”Tony heard the boy rustling closer on the bench.When Miguel had settled closer, Tony reached out and touched him, drawing him a closer, hoping to comfort him.The child appeared to be about eight, not much older than he was when he lost his parents.“What do you remember the most about your mother?” he asked.**

**  
**

**“Her singing.”** ****

**  
**

**“What did she sing?”** ****

**  
**

**“I remember her singing a song about birds,” Miguel said, leaning against Tony’s side.“It was a song of Navidad.”And he began to sing/say the words, as though he was unable to fully sing them.**

**“En veure despuntar**

**El major illuminar**

**En la nit mes joiosa;**

**Els ocellettes cantant a festejarlo van,**

**Amb sa veu melindrosa.**

**Els a celletes cantant**

**A festejarlo van**

**Amb sa veu melindrosa…"**

**Even though Miguel choked up a time or two, Tony was struck by the beauty of the words, which told of the birds’ celebratory songs of the birth of Christ.He had only heard the song in translated English, but it was more beautiful coming from the heart of this Spanish American boy.Most touching was the second verse, the one that issued the Nightingale’s declaration that Jesus not only came to free everyone from sin, but to also banish every sadness and bring happiness.Banish every sadness.And he realized even more pointedly that he had no reason to be sad, or bitter.He had accomplished much—much that his parents would be proud of.“Can you repeat the words?I would like to learn that song.It’s beautiful, Miguel.”** ****

**  
**

**“I have not been able to sing it through since . . . since….” Miguel choked up again.** ****

**  
**

**“I understand perfectly, Miguel,” Tony said softly.“But if you teach me the words, then maybe we can sing it together, in memory of your mother.”**

**  
**

**The boy looked surprised.“I never thought of that.Do you think she would like that?” Miguel asked.Tony could see Miguel’s eyes shining in the scant light from the party.** ****

**  
**

**“Yes.”And Miguel went through the song, still not quite able to fully sing it, but when Tony had learned the words, he turned to Miguel.“I do not know the melody.You will have to sing it,” Tony said, his words half-truth.He had heard the song before and felt he could have sung it, but he wanted Miguel to sing it.**

**  
**

**The boy began, his high, rich voice beginning softly and then getting more and more strong as he became comfortable.On the second verse, Tony joined in, becoming caught up in the feeling of the miracle that seemed to surround him in this place and at this time.As they were singing the last verse, he realized that it had become quiet in the enclosure and that the other party-goers were now listening.When he and Miguel were finished, there was a loud round of applause.** ****

**  
**

**“That was beautiful, Miguel, Tony,” Diego said softly from behind them.**

**  
**

**“It was to my mother,” Miguel said, tears running down his cheeks.**

**  
**

**Diego gazed meaningfully at Tony.“Do you have something for your father?”** ****

**  
**

**Tony said nothing for a moment, wondering how Diego knew.Then he stood up and began, softly at first, then, like Miguel, more strongly.The language implant was echoing the words in Spanish, but Tony still sang in English.** ****

**  
**

**“What Child is this, Who, laid to rest, On Mary’s lap is sleeping?**

**Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, While shepherds watch are keeping?**

**This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:**

**Haste, haste to bring him laud, the Babe, the Son of Mary!”** ****

**  
**

**He began the second verse, his audience completely still, and he heard a voice accompanying him, one deeper, more bass and at first Tony thought it was Sgt. Garcia, but when he saw that the sergeant’s lips didn’t move, he realized the truth and let the voice only he was hearing harmonize with his own.And he sang….**

**@@@@@@@@@@@@@**

**  
**

**Ann stood behind the console, her eyes in rapt attention on the scene showing from the tunnel.In the dimness of the place where Tony and Doug were it was hard to make out everything, but she could see Tony, and more importantly, she could hear him, singing a song that she knew well, but seemed to be hearing for the first time.She felt the tears running down her cheeks as Tony continued to sing.It was as though there was something buried deep inside him that had finally burst from its tightly locked prison.No one in the complex moved, or said anything.And when the last notes died away in the distant past, as well as in the complex, still it continued in her heart.**

**  
**

**“I had no idea….” Kirk said softly.**

**  
**

**“Nor did I,” Ray added.**

**  
**

**“I think this is a good time to take a respite ourselves,” Anne murmured.**

**  
**

**“What?” Kirk asked.**

**  
**

**“Let them stay there for a while,” Ann said more forcefully.** ****

**  
**

**“At least until the end of Navidad,” Ray concurred.Kirk nodded, and soon the only operating system was the monitoring system.**

**  
**

**“I will stand the first supervisory watch,” Ann said.The others nodded and left for their own well deserved rests.Ann gazed at the festivities, hungry to be there, wishing she felt more of what was happening inside the hearts of those at that nineteenth century celebration.**

**  
**

**@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@**

**On Dias de los Reyes, Tony, whose wound was almost completely healed, stood at the large window overlooking the patio and sighed.Doug, sitting in a large chair, feeling completely rested and comfortable, understood exactly what his friend was thinking.“I would guess that now that the Navidad festivities are over, Ray and Gen. Kirk will begin working overtime to get us back home.”** ****

**  
**

**Diego smiled.He had remembered the box that had come, much like the first one, but this one had treats and small gifts from the twentieth century.The two Americans had shared their gifts and Diego had felt a strange sense of wonder at eating something that would not be cooked until more than a hundred and fifty years in the future.“But the festivities are not over, my friends."**

**  
**

**His father grinned from his own chair.“You Americanos do not know how to celebrate holidays.”** ****

**  
**

**Tony laughed.“I think you are right, Don Alejandro.”He looked toward Diego and then remembered his new friend saying something about gift giving on the day of the three kings in early January.Bernardo brought a parcel for each of the two travelers.“We probably won’t be able to take these when we are transferred,” he said.** ****

**  
**

**“Perhaps, and perhaps not,” Diego said enigmatically.**

**  
**

**Tony smiled.Somehow, this man, whom the American had remembered was the alter ego of Zorro, could probably figure out a way around that little problem, too.He opened his parcel and the first gift caused him to pause in shock.It was a tiny wooden figure of a woman, a shawl over her head, her skirt painted in bright swirls of red and yellow and blue.The carving was crudely done, but the painting was exquisitely detailed.It was the figure that Miguel had tried to give to him during the last Sunday Mass.Tony had not known how to explain to the boy that he wouldn’t be able to take it with him and felt he had hurt the boy’s feelings.** ****

**  
**

**“Miguel desperately wanted you to have this,” Diego said softly.“He thought if I gave it to you, you would accept it.”** ****

**  
**

**“I had no idea how to tell him that the tunnel might not pull it through on the next transfer.I couldn’t bear to see it destroyed or lost,” Tony said.**

**  
**

**“Perhaps the box that came through before could be retrieved with things in it,” Diego suggested with a smile.“The way you explained it to me, it seems possible.It certainly seems worth a try.”** ****

**  
**

**Tony nodded with a smile.“It would be a good experiment on retrieval, too.”** ****

**  
**

**“And your things would be waiting for you when you get back.”** ****

**  
**

**“Yes.”** ****

**  
**

**The rest of the day was taken up with a ride across the hills near the hacienda.Finally, after a bit of de la Vega wine in front of the fire in the library, the two travelers retired for the night.The next morning they didn’t answer the knock on their door and when Diego entered their rooms, he found them gone.He noticed that the box with their gifts was gone as well, but on Tony’s bed was a note that was addressed to him and a separate one for Miguel.Apparently Tony had been right about he and Doug’s impending transfer and had prepared the notes in advance.He read his with a smile and then placed it in the coals of the fireplace to darken and finally curl and burst into flame.The words, “Viva El Zorro” were the last to be consumed in the fire.The one to Miguel, he placed inside his vest pocket.“Vaya con Dios, my friends,” he murmured.“Feliz Navidad.”**

**Author's note: Considering the actor who played the part of Tony Newman (James Darren), I took liberties with Tony's musical talent. The references to Tony's father came from an episode where the time traveler finds his dying father during the attack on Pearl Harbor.**


End file.
